Teacher recruitment: reflections from Ireland on the current crisis in teacher supply

ABSTRACT

Teachers are widely recognised as the most powerful determinants of pupil achievement. Those countries considered to have high-performing education systems, such as Finland and Singapore, have prioritised investment in initial teacher education. In the Irish context, teacher education programmes have been high-status, over-subscribed, attracting a very high calibre of entrant. However, in the last two years, a bifurcation in the pattern of teacher recruitment and retention has emerged – while primary level teaching has retained its popularity, high numbers of primary level teachers are taking extended career breaks. In contrast, there is evidence of a reduction in numbers applying for second-level teacher education programmes, as well as a shortage in key subject areas, creating a ‘crisis’ in teacher recruitment and retention. This case study resonates with the international discourse on the topic, and an analysis of issues within a small educational system as is found in Ireland throws into sharp relief new perspectives on the contested international strategies being implemented to increase teacher supply.

KEYWORDS:

• Teacher supply
• teacher recruitment
• teacher retention
• teacher education policy
• Ireland

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. The Teaching Council was established as a statutory body in May 2006. It promotes teaching as a profession including a remit for the professional development of teachers. It also regulates standards in the profession.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Teresa O’Doherty

Teresa O’Doherty is the President of Marino Institute of Education, Dublin. Her research areas are the history of education and teacher education policy. She is Vice-President of the Education Studies Association of Ireland, a member of the Board of Teacher Education Policy in Europe Network, a member of the Board of the State Examinations Commission, and is a member of the Steering Committee of the Standing Conference of Teacher Education, North and South (SCoTENS).

Judith Harford

Judith Harford is Professor of Education and Vice Principal for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the College of Social Sciences and Law, University College Dublin. Her research areas are gender and education and teacher education policy. She is a Fellow of both the Royal Historical Society (London) and the Massachusetts Historical Society (USA) and an International Clinical Practice Fellow of the American Association of Teacher Educators. She is the Ireland Canada University Foundation Flaherty Visiting Professor, 2017–18 and a Fulbright Scholar in the Social Sciences, 2018–19.