Gaeltacht grants for student teachers abolished
February 7, 2012
A Department of Education decision to abolish grants awarded to trainee teachers attending Irish-language courses in the Gaeltacht has been slammed by Conradh na Gaeilge and Guth na Gaeltachta.
At present, the 3-week courses in the Gaeltacht summer colleges are paid for on behalf of the student teachers that attend them to improve their Irish-language skills as an essential part of their education degree, but it was announced at a briefing session in Marlboro Street on 05 December 2011 that the grants towards the cost of these courses would be abolished to save money.
Speaking about the proposed cuts, Julian de Spáinn, General Secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge said that the cuts fly in the face of the Government’s 20 Year strategy for the Irish language which recommended that student teachers should follow a defined programme of language teaching in the Gaeltacht and that tuition time and attendance of student teachers who attend such Gaeltacht courses should be increased.
They also negate recommendations made by the Teaching Council for the teacher training colleges which called for an extended and reconceptualised Gaeltacht residency which would form part of the overall programme and be under the direct jurisdiction of the teacher education providers.
“These two recommendations to foster better language awareness and Irish-language skills in our teachers were a huge step forward, but the Department of Education and Skills will take two steps backwards again if they abolish the grant for students attending Gaeltacht courses,” he added.
GAELPORT
