A Wexford school principal has highlighted the ongoing challenges in primary and special schools regarding teacher shortages, a situation exacerbated since the COVID pandemic.
Vicky Barron, CBS Primary School said there is a particularly concerning trend where schools are forced to hire unqualified staff due to a lack of available teachers.
Ms Barron speaking on Morning Mix explained the complexities of teacher qualifications in Ireland. While some teachers are registered with the Teaching Council, not all are deemed qualified for primary education, especially those with secondary or adult education backgrounds. This leads to a reliance on unqualified teachers during staff absences, which she described as a desperate measure.
The shortage is especially pronounced in Dublin, where some schools operate without any special education resources because special education staff are pulled into mainstream classrooms to cover vacancies. In Wexford, the situation is not as dire, but principals are still struggling to fill short-term substitute positions, often leading to an increase in class sizes as they manage absences.
Student teachers, who are currently completing their degrees, are temporarily filling gaps, but this is not a sustainable solution. Many qualified teachers are leaving Ireland for better opportunities abroad, with popular destinations including Australia, Dubai, and Vietnam, where they can enjoy better terms of employment and lifestyle options.
She emphasized that the lack of available substitutes and teachers is impacting student learning, particularly in areas like reading and math support. During the pandemic, schools had some flexibility to “bank hours” for substitute teachers, allowing for better management of absences. However, this option has since been removed, resulting in lost teaching time when substitutes cannot be found.
Vicky Barron is advocating that allowing schools to bank hours again would help mitigate the current crisis, along with improving overall terms and conditions for teachers to retain talent within the country.
She stressed that immediate action is needed to address these issues, which are affecting the quality of education for students now
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