Primary teaching hopefuls see Irish tests reduced

By Niall Murray, Education Correspondent

Hundreds of students considering a course to become a primary teacher after their degree will no longer have to take multiple Irish oral tests if they apply to more than one college.

The changes, announced yesterday by Education Minister Joe McHugh, will mean someone wishing to do a postgraduate masters in education (PME) will undergo a single test of their spoken Irish instead of a possible three.

Around 200 to 300 people a year begin the two-year PME course at the four colleges involved: Dublin City University, Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, Maynooth University, and Dublin’s Marino Institute of Education (the latter two have a combined application process).

Up to and including this year, hundreds who apply to more than one college had to do an Irish oral and an interview on the same day for each application.

From next year, however, the Teastas Eorpach Gaeilge (TEG) test will be held in February, much earlier than the interviews, which are normally held in early summer.

The test will bring uniformity to the measure of Irish competency of entrants to the PME courses, and will be administered by Maynooth University’s Centre for Irish Language Research, Teaching, and Testing at venues around the country.

The system only applies to State-funded providers of primary education, and does not cover the entry process for applicants to Hibernia College, a private institution from which two-thirds of postgraduate entrants to primary teacher education get their qualifications.

Although it is not known how many people typically apply to more than one college, it is understood that significant numbers seek entry to at least one postgraduate course if they are intent on a teaching career.

Colleges typically have to interview and offer an Irish oral test for five to 10 students for each place available, with DCU having 590 applicants for just 60 places on its PME degree this year.

The new system will save resources for colleges as only students who pass the TEG will go forward for interview.

Mr McHugh said the measure will also relieve stress for intending students, who previously had to face the oral and interview on the same day.

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation acknowledged there will be an additional cost to students, but believes the change will be a benefit to students.

“We would welcome the reduced pressure on students who apply to more than one college, as they will no longer have to do the oral test several times,” said assistant general secretary Deirbhile Nic Craith.

Students will have to pay a €65 fee for the single Irish oral test, in addition to the non-refundable fee of €45 or €50 for each PME course application.

Mr McHugh welcomed a commitment by colleges to refund the fee for students coming through a programme funded by his department to increase third-level participation by under-represented groups.