‘I had to drop out’: Student tells of mental health toll of Portobello PE course dispute

After spending thousands pursuing a teaching career, one graduate explains why uncertainty over her qualification forced her to walk away

Those affected include registered teachers who enrolled at Portobello to upskill and add another subject to their registration, as well as students now undertaking expensive professional master of education (PME) programmes elsewhere. File picture

"I had to drop out of teaching for my mental health. It was an awful situation," said one student who decided to "clean the slate" and walk away from her dream of becoming a PE teacher amid uncertainty over a qualification she pursued at a private college.

The Irish Examiner has now been contacted by more than two dozen students who enrolled in courses at Portobello Institute in recent years. Most enrolled from 2022 onwards with the intention of becoming PE teachers.