General Teaching Council Northern Ireland

Teacher training intakes approved

Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, has approved the overall intakes to initial teacher education (ITE) for the forthcoming academic year.

The overall intake number remains the same as that set for the 2008/09 academic year (at 643). However, within this overall number there are changes to the numbers allocated to each of the five ITE providers, including recognition of the need for more teachers for the Irish-medium sector.

The Minister said: “In setting the (ITE) intake numbers for the five ITE providers here in the North I have given careful consideration to the recommendations set out in the Report on the Review of Teacher Education produced by the Assembly’s Committee for Employment and Learning.

“There is a need to ensure that the numbers joining approved ITE courses reflect the future needs of our school system, and to maintain and develop the capacity for local ITE providers to educate teachers to meet the diverse needs of our pluralist schools system.

“The numbers, which I have approved for the individual ITE providers, also reflects the demographic position in relation to the individual phases of education and the needs of specific sectors.

“In recent years there has been increasing demand for Irish-medium education. To meet this demand the number of places for St Mary’s University College has been increased to include 10 additional places for students who wish to teach in Irish-medium schools. Stranmillis College has also been allocated an additional 10 BEd primary places.”