Career break restrictions will make teaching profession less attractive

By piofficer, Friday, 26th January 2018 | 0 comments

Far from remedying the problem, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) believes that restricting career breaks will make the retention of teachers at second level even more difficult.

‘This is yet another ill-advised ‘sticking plaster’ approach that ignores the urgent need to remedy a much more serious problem,’ said TUI President Joanne Irwin. ‘Teachers take career breaks for a variety of reasons, many of which ultimately benefit the education system through the further education, experiences in other employments and different perspectives that such unpaid leave of absence brings.’

‘Restrictions on career breaks seriously risk exacerbating the crisis both in the recruitment and retention of teachers.’

‘Earlier this week, the Taoiseach, the Minister’s party leader, suggested working abroad for a period of time as a way for young people to secure a deposit for a home, yet now the Minister is effectively seeking to restrict young graduates from taking career breaks, despite many having taken the leave for precisely the reason that the Taoiseach suggested. Such a flagrant contradiction in policy is unacceptable and betrays an unwillingness at Government level to tackle effectively the recruitment and retention crisis.’

‘This represents yet another short-sighted measure that has not been properly thought out. For example, teachers on career break have signed teaching contracts in the Middle East which contain penalty clauses for non-completion. Where does the Minister’s edict now leave them?’

‘The emigration rate of recently qualified post-primary teachers increased from 4% in 2008 to 18%-21% in 2014 as a result of the discriminatory pay cuts that affect teachers employed since 2011.The message is clear; pay inequality is the problem, not career breaks. Yet the Minister stubbornly and foolishly continues to focus on the symptom rather than the disease’

'We urge the Minister and his Government to engage with the reality of the crisis and to accelerate the process of re-instating pay equality .’

 

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