PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Religion: Secondary Education (14 December 2022)

Data from the School Workforce Census shows that the number of religious education teachers in the academic year 2021/22 was 15,529, the highest number since 2016/17.

The Department publishes postgraduate initial teacher training (PGITT) trainee targets on an annual basis. The targets for PGITT trainees to start training in 2022/23 were published in April 2022, and performance against those targets was reported within the Initial Teacher Training Census publication on 1 December 2022.

The final PGITT trainee target for religious education in the academic year 2022/23 was slightly reduced to 450 compared to 470 in the previous academic year.

The Department has no plans to revise the 2022/23 religious education PGITT trainee target, but will review it again next year as part of an annual cycle.

The Department recognises the need for schools to have a sufficient supply of teachers qualified to teach basic curriculum subjects and continues to take action to improve teacher supply. The Department is investing in attracting the best teachers where they are needed most.