A Tipperary primary school principal says there are still significant challenges being faced with finding substitute teachers.
Despite recent efforts to add teaching students to the workforce during this Covid wave, Louise Tobin from St Joseph’s Primary School in Tipperary Town hasn’t seen an improvement.
She says that two or three staff are unavailable to work most days, and that up to 20 percent of students were absent from classrooms last week.
Louise, who’s also Deputy President of the Irish Primary Principals Networks, says more buy in is needed from some colleges:
“I think there needs to be more conversations with the colleges. There needs to be a serious conversation that students have to be released.
“I’m aware that we have third years that are doing their Gaeltacht course online. The current pandemic is way more important than students attending the Gaeltacht.
“I’m sure this could be done at another time. It’s essential that we have student teachers available.”
