Students back trainee teachers against 'stealth fee'

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has slammed the new €70 fee on trainee teachers by the Department of Education & Science.

All trainee teachers require a copy of the Department-authored education curriculum which forms the central component of teacher training.

The Department has announced it will now charge €70 for the printed curriculum – a move that the USI believes could harm efforts to recruit more teachers from a wide range of backgrounds.

From this month, free viewing of the education curriculum will only be available through a CD-Rom supplied to trainee teachers in place of the printed version.

Lacking home computer access, thousands of teachers in training will now have no option but to pay the €70 fee for a printed curriculum.

USI President Colm Hamrogue said: “Teachers contribute to the achievements of every individual in society, and we as a society will need to recruit and train more of them given sustained population growth.

“Although DOE is supplying all trainees with the education curriculum on a CD-Rom, the €70 fee will affect thousands of trainee teachers without home computer access.

"Coming on top of the €800 college registration fee, this new €70 fee escalates the already-punishing financial burden for teachers in training, and suggests the Government may not be serious about attracting more trainee teachers from a wide range of backgrounds.

“By imposing a €70 fee on those without home computer access, DOE is undervaluing both teaching trainees and the teaching profession as a whole."