Portobello Institute is asked to review ‘misleading’ details

The 'Irish Examiner' has spoken to past students at two further courses at Portobello Institute who have been unable to register with the Teaching Council. Picture: Colin Keegan/Collins

Ireland’s qualifications watchdog has asked a private college to review the information online about its programmes following concerns “misleading” information was provided to learners on one of its courses.

Most applicants to the Teaching Council who completed the graduate diploma in physical education at Portobello Institute between 2022 and 2025 have been left unable to register.

The Irish Examiner has now spoken to past students at two further courses at the college who have been unable to register with the Teaching Council, despite believing they would be able to do so once their courses had been completed.

A Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) spokesperson said it “is aware of concerns raised by learners and within the media in relation to the accuracy of course information provided by Portobello Institute”.

They said: “QQI has been in close engagement with the Teaching Council on this issue and a shared concern that the information provided to learners on the graduate diploma in physical education is misleading and does not meet subject curricular requirements for transferring to Professional Masters in Education programmes or for existing qualified teachers to add physical education as an additional subject.”

A broader review of their website was undertaken in “which QQI identified an opportunity to improve the clarity and accuracy of information provided to learners across other programmes on offer”, they added.

“Portobello Institute was requested to review the information provision of all their programmes, particularly those leading to awards from UK awarding bodies and ensure that the relationship to the Irish National Framework of Qualifications was clear and accurate for learners,” they said.

“It was also requested that information about access, transfer, and progression opportunities were updated to ensure it was clear and accurate, so learners fully understood their post programme opportunities.

“Portobello Institute has engaged with QQI on this matter, and we continue to monitor their compliance with ensuring that programme information is clear and accurate for learners.

"QQI has requested that additional amendments be made to course information this week.”

There have been wider calls for a new registration system for postgraduate studies, similar to the CAO, to ensure students have the reassurance that courses are fully accredited and offer a straightforward pathway to the relevant professional registrations.