Teachers can finally be fired - A lesson learned

TRADITIONALLY, it has been notoriously difficult, if not impossible, for the State to dismiss a bad teacher, or even to hold an inquiry.

As from today, however, powers for dealing with misbehaving teachers, or even removing the right to teach from those who might not be up to the job, finally come into effect. Astonishingly, generations of both school children and teachers have come and gone in the 15 years since moves were first made to address this difficult issue.

These dramatic steps have been a long time coming, and credit is due to Education Minister Richard Bruton for triggering the fitness-to-teach provisions of the law governing the Teaching Council, thus giving it the authority to investigate complaints and conduct inquiries against the 90,000 teachers on its register.