Wednesday, December 21, 2011

No Clarity for those currently pursuing further qualifications

The DES (Department of Education and Skills) has released a circular (Circular 70/2011). This document refers to the paying of allowances for further qualifications to teachers. Further qualifications may included, masters, doctorate and postgraduate/ higher diploma studied.

The Department will be paying allowances to those who received a further study allowance on or before the 4th of December 2011, and will retain their current allowance.

New-entrants, or existing teachers who attain a further qualification will not be receiving any higher than the allowance afforded for the completion of an honours degree. Teachers who have not achieved an honours level degree, but may complete further studies in an education institution, will only be paid the honours degree level, in spite of their new qualification.

Those who are currently undertaking studies in the afore mentioned types of courses, have been left in limbo. These teachers are already committed to the course both professionally and financially, but are in the dark regarding payment of allowances.

In the circular the DES has said 'The position of teachers who, on 5 December 2011, were undertaking courses will be considered in the context of the public service-wide review of allowances announced in Budget 2012 which is to be led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.'

Teacher's Unions, INTO, ASTI and TUI are currently negotiating with the DES to clarify the position of these teachers, and to ensure as much as possible the payment of allowances for course completions already committed to.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

INTO Employment Task Force

At Congress 2011, a serious emphasis on employment and protection of the qualified unemployed teacher was clear. On foot of this the INTO Employment Task Force was established. It has representatives from many areas of the Union, including Cathal McGarrigle and Orla Faulkner (Former Chair and Secretary of Dis.XIV NQT Sub-Committee respectively).

They along with support from other Task Force and Union Members have successfully completed and worked on many ahcievable projects in the last 8 monhs.

Some of the most significant are:
1. The reduction of Probation from 170 days to 100 days, two periods of 50 days
2. The issuing of an INTO Directive on Unqualified Personnel in Schools
3. The establishing of NQT Groups at branch and district level, a forum and supported channel for NQT and Non-Permanent concerns
4. The progression and development of SubSearch, and the negotiation of an online application procedure for primary school posts

The work of the Task Force has been extensive and has given emphasis to NQT's and Non-Permanent Teachers. This work must continue, and INTO District 14 NQT Sub-Committee is committed to working to cooperate and contribute to their consultation process and support.

Eolas December 2011
Task Force on Employment Interim Report

INTO Eolas December 2011: New Graduate Helping Points

In the December 2011 edition of INTO Eolas, a series of '5 things that will help new graduates' was compiled:
1. Principals should be mindful of the fact that new graduates should be accorded opportunities in mainstream class teaching, if at all possible, in order to allow them to complete their probation period.
2. Claims for payment for substitute work should be entered on the OLCS system as quickly as possible rather than causing unnecessary delays to teachers whose only source of income is substitute work.
3. New graduates should be facilitated, if at all possible, in getting at least one day's substitute service in order to ensure that they will qualify for current pension provision, rather than the revised career average system currently being proposed, and which is expected to come into force in early 2012
4. Teaching Principals should use their full allocation of the hard fought for administration days to maximise employment opportunities for substitute not in regualr work
5. Schools should utilise SubSearch or other such facilities to ensure that only qualified teachers are employed in primary schools for substitute work

These are 5 points on an extensive campaign by the INTO and members to support and promote NQT's in entering the profession. In addition to the above list, NQT's should become a member of the union, where they are protected and supported by members. it also provides an opportunity to access a network of supportive teachers and principals. Furthermore, and most importantly, being a member of the INTO and attending meetings is the ultimate forum for having questions answered, queries repsonded to and concerns voiced.

Get Eolas December 2011 here

Monday, November 14, 2011

District 14 NQT Sub-Committee for 2011/2012 Year and Task Force Interim Report

At a meeting last week, TJ Clare was elected Chariperson, coming in in the place of Cathal McGarrigle. Mags Sutton continues in the post of Secretary, after she came in instead of Orla Faulkner in 2010/2011. Both Cathal and Orla have moved Districts, but continue their work setting up NQT Sub-Committees in their relative areas.
Cathal and Orla are also members of the INTO Task Force on Employment and have ensured that NQT voices and issues are tabled. Their fantastic progress can be read in this Interim Report, released by the INTO today. We wish them the best of luck in their endevours, thank them for their continuing work and hope to link up with them maintaining inter-District communications.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Newly Graduate Meetings

We strongly recommend that NQT's and especially new graduates make every effort to attend the Information Meetings being organised by the INTO, for the beginning of the school year 2011/2012.
These meetings will give new graduates a chance to ask questions, have their queries answered, familiarise themselves with the INTO, and most importantly, provide a platform and introduction for future interests and involvement within the union and referring to frontline issues.
For NQTs, not newly graduated, all of the above applies plus a chance to continue the fantastic work being done by NQTs all over the country, as demonstrated last year in protests, radio/tv programmes and at the INTO Annual Conference 2011 in Sligo.
Details are:

*NOTE: Both meetings take place between 4pm and 6pm
Wedsnesday 21st September: Teacher's Club Parnell Square, Dublin MAP (across from the Rotunda Hospital)
Thursday 22nd September: Silver Springs Hotel, Cork City MAP  (tagged with balloon 'A' on map)

This information and updates on issues can also be view on the INTO Website

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Section 30 of Teaching Council Act is to be implemented fully: Protest Cancelled

The Department of Education and Skills has confimred that Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act will be implemented fully and unammended. The organised protest by District 14/15 for WEDNESDAY 15th has been CANCELLED.
Along with other contributing factors, the fact that INTO Members and NQT's were willing to mobilise will certainly have stood as one main reason for this decision. It also comes in-line with a motion passed at Congress 2011, thus becoming a directive, where the CEC and INTO, through member votes, decided that INTO Members should only work alongside Qualified Personnel.
We at the INTO NQT Group, District 14, would like to thank all those who gathered to plan for the protest, worked towards it in schools, and all those who pledged to be there on the day. We also thank and commend those who supported us by commenting or liking on Facebook for example.
While this may be seen as a victory, lets keep focussed on other tasks at hand also.
INTO Website News link for some details...

Voice- Task Force on Employment Submissions:
One way of voicing your opinion and seeing that you can go towards making a difference is by making a submission to the INTO Task Force on Teacher Employment. The deadline is 5pm on 1st of July 2011. Click here for details, forms and further information.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

INTO District 14 Protest at Dáil Éireann

PROTEST, WEDNESDAY 15TH JUNE, DÁIL ÉIREANN,@ 4PM

Protest organised by District 14/15, against Unqualified Personnel in Irish Classrooms. With thousands of unemployed teachers-there should be NO unqualified personnel in our classrooms.
Minister Ruairí Quinn needs to implement unamended Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act.
ALL PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND INTO MEMBERS ARE URGED TO ATTEND, ALSO ANYBODY WHO IS INTERESTED IN OUR CHILDREN BEING EDUCATED BY QUALIFIED TEACHERS

Thursday, June 2, 2011

10% Cut to Special Needs Resource Teachers

On Wednesday 1st June, the Department of Education announced cuts of 10% to the amount of hours allocated to a school for children with Special Educational Needs. On the ground, this is a cut from 25 hours to 22.5 hours, for example. This is putting further strain on the mainstream classroom environment where huge efforts are made to include every child in education as a whole group. INTO General Secretary feels that this cut will hit those who have been most inclusive up until now.
These cuts will come into effect in September 2011, the beginning of the new academic year. Although the amount of resource teacer posts will be at 9,950, a rise of 350 since 2010, children with special educational neeeds will not be granted access to the provisions they need. A spokesperson from the Special Needs Parents Association says, 'We have taken enough cuts when it comes to Special needs already.'
Although the Department has not set this figure in stone, with a hint that it may rise the number of ours allocated if required, confidence in such measures should be low, as Minister Quinn has been ruthless since coming into power. From an NQT perspective, the main point is that the resources (Qualified Trained Teachers) are there to fulfill the provisions required by children with Special Educational Needs, but Government Policy is denying this provision.
Circular 0037/2011: Revised Arrangement for the Provision of Resource teaching Supports for 2011/2012

Task Force on Employment

A report is due on Teacher Un-Employment early in the next academic year. Further options, solutions and actions to tackle teacher un-employment will be included. There are 3 NQT Representatives and 1 Student Representative on the task force to ensure that NQT voices are heard, supported by other reps from several areas such as CEC, Principals, Education Centres and Head Office. They will work actively to form changes and solutions to increase teacher employment for NQT's. This task force is being set up after is was passed in a motion at Congress 2011, Sligo.

Monday, April 25, 2011

INTO NQT District 14 Group

This blog was set up as another way to allow NQT's, Temporary and Student teachers to voice their opinion on issues concerning them. The INTO NQT Distrcit 14 group is a recognised sub-committee of the District, with NQT's, Temporary Teachers and Students represented in the group. We work very closely with the officials of District 14 and as a unit raise issues like, pay, pensions, teacher supply, job creation and resource cuts in the classroom.
Also we are live on Facebook, where you can join our page and link with other groups who share our goal for the teaching proffession and NQT's prospects in particular.

Chairperson: Cathal Mc Garrigle
Secretary: Mags Sutton

Blog Admin: TJ Clare
Facebook Admin: Alan Bedford