Student teachers spend over €160 a week to cover placements

Student teachers have to fork out more than €160 a week to cover the costs of classroom placements that are a compulsory part of their training.

The figure that has emerged from a survey by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) does not include accommodation costs which some incur, but covers the amount they spend on travel, teaching materials, and food.

The costs assessed by USI also include two mandatory two-week trips that prospective primary teachers must make to the Gaeltacht to improve their Irish.