Drop in number of males eligible for primary teaching

A FURTHER drop in the number of males eligible to train as primary teachers because they don’t have the required standard of Irish has prompted calls for those requirements to be lowered.

Analysis of results since 2001 shows that the proportion of male Leaving Certificate students sitting Irish who choose the higher level paper has fallen every year, from 21.7% five years ago to 21.1% — or 4,338 students — this week.

In contrast, almost 37% (8,610) of female Irish students took the higher level paper, although this has also fallen from above 38% in the same period.

School-leavers hoping to begin teacher-training degrees in the colleges of education must have a minimum grade C in higher level Irish. This was achieved by 85.4% of girls (7,375) and 82.5% (3,575) boys in the results issued on Wednesday, meaning more than twice as many girls are eligible for around 1,000 undergraduate primary teaching degree places.

This recurring statistic has been cited as a factor in the declining number of males in the profession, currently around 17% of those working at primary school level and just 11% of those studying for education degrees.

Education Minister Mary Hanafin launched the Men As Teachers and Educators (MATE) campaign in February to attract more males into the profession, particularly at primary level. However, she does not plan to change the Irish requirements but rather encourage boys thinking about teaching as a career to take it at higher level.

But Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) general secretary John Carr said the campaign needed to focus on students well in advance of sitting the Leaving Certificate.

“Because of the honours Irish requirement to get into the colleges of education, almost 80% of male students cannot meet the entry standard,” he said.

The union leader said the Irish language requirement needs to be re-examined, although the INTO recognises the right of every child to learn Irish and the need to maintain standards.

“There is possibly some scope for the Department of Education to lower the Irish language entry standard to the colleges somewhat if the colleges were resourced to ensure that adequate professional standards of Irish could be ensured at the end of a course of teacher education,” Mr Carr said.

But, he said, the Irish language is not the only barrier to males entering the profession.

“All over the world, fewer males are choosing teaching as a career,” he said.

“It is a complex issue that requires an examination of career and salary structures and promotion opportunities.”