Bid to help teachers become principals

Difficulties getting teachers to apply for principal jobs may be eased by a new course destined to prepare them for the challenges.

Primary and second-level schools have had greater difficulties recruiting principals in recent years, largely down to beliefs that the rising workload is not sufficiently rewarded by the pay.

Education Minister Richard Bruton will today announce a new 18-month course for teachers with ambitions to fill school leadership positions. Around 200 places will be available each year on the part-time postgraduate qualification in school leadership, partly-funded by his department.