Leitrim principal speaks on teaching shortage ' It's a difficult job and it's not for everyone'

A Leitrim councillor has said that the incentives are not there to encourage young people to become teachers. 

Cormac Flynn, Principal at the Mohill Community College was speaking after The Journal reported that most schools that advertised teaching jobs got no applications with research from Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) showing that about 60% of schools around the country have teaching vacancies – but teachers are not applying.

Cllr Cormac Flynn told us: "In my own experience, there are a number of issues. Number one, for me, is that when I qualified as a teacher and did my degree, I did three years and then did a one year HDip which is now a two year Masters which is turning a lot of young people off; having to stay in college for two more years.  There is also the issue of the pre-2011 pay raise where a lot of the allowances that I would have got as a post pre-2011 teacher like a degree and HDip allowance; they are all gone. Even my pension entitlements are completely different to those who joined after 2011 which doesn't really entice a lot of newer applicants to the job."

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He added: "The starting rate for a teacher looks to be attractive enough but there is a very slow salary rising after that compared to an industry which means a lot of people aren't jumping on teaching as a career path. Also, once you become a teacher, there is are very low promotional opportunities. If a teacher gets promoted they become an AP2 and then an AP1 and deputy principal and principal and maybe go on further. Until that changes, there will always be a degree of ambitious people who will jump out of the system or not get involved in the first place."

The survey found that almost one in five schools has been forced to drop subjects due to staff shortages, while over half have been forced to restrict student access to certain subjects.

Cllr Flynn continued: "Also, simply, there are just better alternatives in Ireland. There are a lot of well paying jobs and people look at them and jump on board with different companies and are happy to do that. There are a lot of good teachers who are teaching abroad."

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The survey stated that 59% of schools said they currently have unfilled vacancies in their teaching staff with schools saying the most difficult subjects to recruit for are Irish, maths, French and guidance counselling.

He continued: "It's good to have the flexibility within the system, but there are increased leave opportunities so a teacher can take two career breaks up to a maximum of five years which is great for that person but not ideal for attracting someone into the position if they know they are only filling in for a career break. There are also increased job-sharing opportunities within the schools where people can go on part-time leave and job share."

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Cllr Flynn said that while teaching is a very safe job, "as a young teacher starting out you will have low job security and will be a part-time teacher with part-time hours and sometimes no contract so you could be in that rat-race before you get a contract and it'll take you two years before that contract becomes permanent. So you're talking about five years before you get a permanent contract and that's really a deterrent for ambitious people to get into the system. It is also a difficult job and it's not for everyone so it's difficult to get people with the educational qualification, the personal characteristics and the desire to become a teacher all rolled into one to dedicate their lives to teaching young people. It's demanding, difficult, diverse and you have to be all things to all people at times and not everyone is able for that so that shouldn't be overlooked."