21st November 2019
INTO has called on the Department of Education and Skills to address the ongoing crisis in the supply of substitute teachers in primary schools. In particular, INTO demanded that restrictions preventing teachers on career break from undertaking substitute cover be removed.
The Department has today announced that this restriction has been lifted for the 2019/2020 school year. (Click here for the information notice).
Such teachers will also be paid at their personal rate where they work in excess of 40 days, in accordance with an agreement reached with the teacher unions.
While this is a welcome development, it represents a short-term fix. Children are entitled to have access to a qualified teacher every day. This can only be ensured by extending the current supply panel pilot to provide for permanent, nationwide substitute supply panels.