Union doubts benefits of teacher work placement scheme

AN unpaid work placement scheme to help unemployed teachers get classroom experience may not be as beneficial as promised, a union claims.

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) earlier this year called for assistance in getting recent graduates the classroom experience needed to undergo the probation by department inspectors which they must complete before being eligible for full-time jobs.

But the union said an initiative unveiled by Education Minister Mary Coughlan would pose problems for many schools with no extra space to accommodate classes for a new teacher at short notice and difficulties would arise if work placement teachers left during the school year.