The number of unqualified teachers working in primary schools has increased, according to Department of Education and Science figures. At present there are 460 unqualified teachers in the system, compared with 449 a year-and-a-half ago.
The Minister for Education and Science, Mr Martin, has told the Irish National Teachers' Organisation the problem will continue.
Primary teachers do a three-year B.Ed. course at teacher training colleges in Dublin and Limerick. However, such factors as retirement and attempts to improve the pupil/teacher ratio have led to a shortage of trained teachers. In an attempt to address the problem, 282 university graduates are being given an 18-month "conversion" course in the Dublin and Limerick colleges which they will have completed when the next school year starts.
The course is an attempt to address shortages by putting extra primary teachers into the system, over and above those who would normally come from the teacher training colleges.
While primary schools rely mainly on the teacher training colleges, second-level schools draw most of their teachers from among university graduates who have obtained the Higher Diploma in Education. In a further attempt to alleviate the problems of the primary schools this year, the Minister decided that graduates with a Higher Diploma in Education and a Grade C in higher-level Irish in the Leaving Certificate or its equivalent will be recognised as trained temporary primary teachers - but only for the current school year.