Highest ever number of teachers graduate amid staff shortages in profession

More than 90% of graduate teachers are in employment within six months of graduation. File picture

The highest number of teachers to ever graduate in Ireland did so in Dublin’s Convention Centre on Tuesday, as 1,147 collected their diplomas.

Some 802 primary teachers and 345 post-primary teachers graduated from Hibernia College amid a buyer’s market for the profession.

The majority of those who graduated are already in employment in a sector under pressure from the ongoing recruitment and retention crisis, according to Hibernia's chief executive David Carpenter.

He said demand for the career is stronger than ever, resulting in a record-breaking number of graduates, while more than 90% are in employment within six months of graduation.

“There's always a demand for teachers due to natural loss and retirement and there's still a lot of teachers going abroad to places like the UAE and now Australia and you'll always get an element of that where people want to travel for a number of reasons,” he said.

As the course aims to reflect the needs of the modern teacher, the training of teachers has seen a more recent emphasis on mindfulness and technology, including the use of AI.

“We look at that, particularly in relation to issues around academic integrity, it’s obviously a major issue,” he said adding AI will have an increasing presence in the classroom, meaning teachers need to be prepared.

Education standards

Meanwhile, Irish teenagers ranked second for reading skills in a major global study comparing education standards in 81 countries.

Ireland was also in the top 15 for maths and science in the latest results published by the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa).

An initiative of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), the Pisa study measures the ability of 15-year-olds to use reading, maths and science knowledge and skills to meet real-life challenges.

Some 5,569 students in 170 schools across Ireland participated.

In reading, Ireland rose to second in the global table, from eighth in 2018, even though its mean score of 516 was down by two on the previous assessment.

In science, the mean score for Irish teenagers was 504, up by eight points on 2018 — a result that saw Ireland ranked 12th in the overall standings, up from 22nd four years previously. 

In maths, the mean score was down by eight points to 492, but Ireland’s overall global ranking improved from 21st to 11th.

The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland president Geraldine O’Brien said "despite chronic under-investment", the findings were a testament to the dedication and commitment of school communities.

“The last few years have been challenging and traumatic, but teachers, parents, and school managers have ensured students have continued to receive a high-quality education. In addition, students have demonstrated extraordinary resilience and we are immensely proud of them,” she said.