PLANS to offer the `Catholic teachers' certificate' at Stranmillis University College have been welcomed as a "step forward".
From September, the Certificate in Religious Education will be taught at Stranmillis for the first time.
Teachers can only be appointed to a Catholic maintained nursery or primary school if they hold the qualification.
Any teacher, of any faith, can achieve the certificate. Protestant trainees can, and do, take it although not in large numbers.
It is offered alongside degree courses at St Mary's University College, the specialist college that trains teachers for Catholic schools.
However, it has not been readily available at Stranmillis, which traditionally trains teachers to work in the state controlled sector.
With most Stranmillis students only completing BEd or PGCE, St Mary's graduates have long been considered to be at an advantage entering the job market. Stranmillis students' lack of the additional certificate has ruled them out of the running for jobs in Catholic primaries.
Up until now, it has offered financial assistance to allow its students to undertake the Catholic certificate by distance learning at the University of Glasgow.
Stranmillis staff have now been trained to begin offering the certificate from this year.
Gerry Murphy of the INTO union welcomed the "step forward".
"It will help promoting greater teacher mobility across the entire system," he added.
