Mediator for teachers in wake of failed English college

A MEDIATOR is to be appointed to the English language teaching industry in the wake of the collapse this week of Grafton College in Dublin, which left teachers without salaries and students out of pocket.

Calling the situation at Grafton College ‘completely unacceptable’, Higher Education Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor says she now aims to regularise employment contracts for teachers in the English language education sector.

The problems facing unpaid teachers at Grafton in Portobello ‘exposes weaknesses in safeguarding fair and transparent pay and conditions’ for staff, she told the Seanad yesterday.

Speaking on the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Amendment) Bill, she said: ‘I want an English language education sector that we can have confidence in and one which provides a quality education to students coming to Ireland to learn English.

‘Those working within the sector as teachers are integral to the quality of that provision,’ she added.

‘None of us want to see English language teachers not being paid or not being allowed to the full suite of employment rights that are supported by the State.’ she said.

The minister also added: ‘I am committing today to appoint an experienced mediator who would meet with bodies representing employers and employees in the English language education sector.’

The mediator would explore the potential for a Registered Employment Agreement to be developed for workers in the English language sector, she said.

‘The value of getting a conciliator or mediator to look into engaging with the language school employers and unions is that either they can reach an agreement (REA) covering enough of the sector to become the de factor standard for the sector, or else – if the employers block progress – it may be possible to get the Labour Court to examine this issue.’