Additional Teaching Posts Announced

Education Minister, John O’Dowd, has announced that an additional 36 recently qualified teachers will be employed on fixed-term contracts to help raise standards in literacy and numeracy.

In October 2012 the First Minister and deputy First Minister announced six Signature Projects under the Delivering Social Change programme. At that time it was announced that 230 recently qualified teachers would be employed on fixed-term contracts to help deliver tuition to children who are currently struggling to achieve expected levels in literacy and numeracy. The Education Minister is now announcing an increase in the number of jobs available.

Minister O'Dowd said: "Raising educational standards and tackling disadvantage is a key priority for me as Education Minister and for the Executive as a whole. The employment of recently qualified teachers on two-year fixed-term contracts as part of the Delivering Social Change Programme will help us to achieve this as it will have a direct impact on the educational outcomes of many pupils. By targeting those who are at risk of underachieving, and by focussing on the core skills of literacy and numeracy, we will ensure more young people can achieve to their full potential.

"Importantly, the scheme will also allow many of our recently qualified teachers to gain valuable experience. The first tranche of posts is being advertised in the press this week and I would encourage those eligible to apply.

"I am pleased to announce that I am funding an expansion of this project, which will see the creation of an extra 36 teaching posts. This expansion will allow more primary schools to benefit from the scheme through the recruitment of an additional 21 teachers, while a further 15 posts are available at post-primary level."

(CD)