My son’s teachers are not qualified to teach their subjects. Is this allowed?

I’ve discovered that three of my son’s teachers – in home economics, chemistry and biology – aren’t qualified to teach in the subject they are teaching. The principal confirmed this to me when I asked. My son is due to sit the Leaving Cert next year, so there is a lot at stake. How can this be allowed to happen?

Your son’s difficulties are replicated throughout the country but particularly in Dublin. There seems to be a growing crisis in second-level teacher supply, particularly in major urban centres where the cost of rent leaves many young teachers with little disposable income at the end of the month.

Home economics supply is a particular problem given that St Angela’s in Sligo is the source of most teachers. Many potential home economics candidates do not want to study so far from home. Second, the hotel and food industry sectors have recruited graduates from St Angela’s en masse over recent years with higher salaries.

Given the niche nature of home economics teaching, there is no guarantee that a school will be in a position to offer a newly qualified teacher a full-hours contract. What graduate is going to accept such conditions when industry is crying out for their skills?

My 17-year-old is refusing to return to school. What are our options?

---

I’m worried my son isn’t suited to his course. Must we pay fees if he drops out?

---

Will my son lose out in next year’s Leaving Cert due to return to ‘normal’ exams?

---

‘My son still can’t make his mind up over what college course to choose’

---

Maybe it is time for the regulatory authorities to think outside the box and devise a conversion programme to allow culinary arts graduates transition to become qualified home economics teachers.

Housing cost

The chemistry teacher supply problem is also indicative of a wider teacher availability issue, particularly in Dublin.

Your average teacher married to a nurse/civil servant/garda cannot hope to purchase a family home within comfortable commuting distance of their places of employment in the Dublin region. By relocating to most other parts of Ireland, they can purchase a very comfortable family home where they can raise a family in a non-stressful environment.

The rapidly improving broadband coverage throughout the country facilitates this move away from exorbitant housing costs in our cities, and is creating a real crisis for our schools.

Maybe it is time to reconsider paying those providing vital public services in our major cities such as teachers, medical staff, garda, prison officers, civil servants, etc, an income premium to reflect the costs of living close to their workplaces?

Affordable locations

Young people move to our cities for education. They stay around long enough in their early working lives to form long-term relationships, but then often relocate to more affordable locations to settle down. If we want teachers among them to continue to staff our urban schools, we will have to pay them appropriately.

None of the above solves the immediate problem for your son. I am sure your principal has done whatever he/she can to ensure that all students are receiving the highest quality of education possible.

Resorting to online resources to support his learning or seeking grinds outside his school are options, but reflect a serious failure at central government planning level.