Trainee teachers forced to fork out for materials

TEACHERS’ representatives have called for grant aid for students forced to pay hundreds of euro for classroom essentials during teaching practice.

A survey among Mary Immaculate College of Education’s 400 trainee primary school teachers has found almost half of them spend over €100 a week on stationery, photocopying, art supplies and other essential items for class.

Every student spends at least 16 weeks of training in schools, which makes up a significant portion of their final assessment.