[lg policy] QQI Bill “leaves English language teachers behind”

Sat Jul 28 20:00:03 UTC 2018

 QQI Bill “leaves English language teachers behind” Posted on Jul 27, 2018
<https://thepienews.com/news/elt/qqi-bill-leaves-english-language-teachers-behind/>
by
Kerrie Kennedy <https://thepienews.com/author/kerrie-kennedy/> Posted in ELT
<https://thepienews.com/section/news/elt/>, News
<https://thepienews.com/section/news/>, under Europe
<https://thepienews.com/region/europe/>.
Tagged with ELT <https://thepienews.com/tags/elt/>, Ireland
<https://thepienews.com/tags/ireland/>, LanLearn
<https://thepienews.com/tags/lanlearn/>.
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<https://thepienews.com/news/elt/qqi-bill-leaves-english-language-teachers-behind/>
.

Trade union Unite
<http://www.unitetheunion.org/how-we-help/listofregions/ireland/>, which
represents English language teachers in the UK and Ireland, has said that a key
piece of legislation
<https://thepienews.com/news/qqi-given-new-powers-to-regulate-irelands-ele-sector/>
that
will enhance QQI’s powers in the area of English language education “leaves
English language teachers behind”.
Unite said the ‘Learner Protection Fund’ aspect of the Bill should be
matched by a ‘Teacher Protection Fund’ after the sudden closure of an
English language school in Limerick.  Photo: Wikimedia Share this:
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*About Kerrie Kennedy*
Kerrie gained international print and online media experience during five
years of working in various newsrooms and the music industry across
Ireland, Australia and the UK. After completing a Master's in Journalism at
the University of Limerick in Ireland, Kerrie kicked off her media career
as a reporter for The Irish Examiner before moving to Sydney to take on the
role of Content Manager for concert streaming site Moshcam.

Unite members say they are angry but not surprised that there is no mention
of teachers in the draft legislation

Unite said the ‘Learner Protection Fund’ aspect of the Qualification and
Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill should be
matched by a ‘Teacher Protection Fund’ after the recent closure
<https://thepienews.com/news/closure-of-irish-language-school-impacts-150-international-students/>
of an English language school impacted as many as 150 international
students and left 10 teachers without wages.

“The focus of public policy has been on protecting students while leaving
teachers behind”

In a statement, Unite Regional organiser Roy Hassey said the trade union’s
members are “angry but not surprised” to learn that there is no mention of
teachers in the draft legislation.

“The English Language Teaching sector has been built on the backs of
workers, with precarious employment conditions rife and some teachers
earning as little as €13 per hour,” he said.

“The focus of public policy has been on protecting students while leaving
teachers behind, and this proposed legislation continues that trend –
ignoring the fact that both teachers and students are crucial to the
sector.”

Hassey added that unite is particularly disappointed in the wake of the
LanLearn closure in Limerick which “left teachers high and dry”.

“Much of the focus of this legislation is on encouraging and facilitating
language colleges to obtain an International Education Mark – whereas many
colleges would be better advised to strive for a Fair Employment Mark.”

“Unite will be making our views known during the public consultation
process and will be vigorously lobbying vigorously lobbying for amendments
to the bill, including a Fair Employment Mark and protections for teachers
in the event of a sudden school closure,” Hassey concluded.

This is not the first occasion that Unite has raised questions over the
legitimacy of the ELT sector in Ireland after it held a protest in 2017 to
highlight the allegedly worrying levels of bogus self-employment
<https://thepienews.com/news/dublin-unite-protest-bogus-elt-employment/>.

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 Harold F. Schiffman

Professor Emeritus of
 Dravidian Linguistics and Culture
Dept. of South Asia Studies
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305

Phone:  (215) 898-7475
Fax:  (215) 573-2138

Email:  haroldfs at gmail.com
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/

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