A proposed new junior cycle history curriculum has been criticised by teachers as overloaded and likely to turn students off taking the subject for Leaving Certificate.

Home economics papers wrapped up the second week of the Junior Certificate and the higher level exam opened with short questions covering a very broad range of the syllabus.

Nearly 55,000 Junior Certificate students breathed sighs of relief to see questions on 1916 in their history exams.

Business studies took up the entire Junior Certificate schedule yesterday, although ordinary level students only had a morning paper to sit.

After a very tough first paper last Friday, most higher- level Junior Certificate maths students should have been happier with Paper 2 yesterday. Tony McGennis of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) considered the second paper to be quite fair.

Only one in three secondary schools is carrying out classroom tests as part of the revamped Junior Cert.

The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) has disputed figures that suggest that a third of their members have defied a ban on registering for Junior Cert reform training.

Relief teachers who are members of the ASTI say they are finding themselves impacted because of the union's opposition to the new Junior Cert cycle.

Secondary teachers are calling on the next Minister for Education - whoever that may be - to discuss Junior Cert reform.

The Minister for Education Jan O'Sullivan has reiterated her stance on training for the new Junior Cert, saying it will go ahead despite opposition from some teachers.

The ASTI has announced that it will continue its current industrial action as part of its dispute with the Department of Education over junior cycle reforms.

The national executive of the largest secondary teachers union is meeting in special session this afternoon after members voted against junior cycle reforms.

The votes of fewer than 3,800 teachers have cast doubt over the most radical school reforms in decades.

IT is very disappointing that the country’s largest second-level teachers’ union, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) has rejected proposals on junior cycle reform reached after long and difficult negotiations, negotiations marked by considerable compromise on both sides.

The executive of the ASTI will meet tomorrow to decide its next step after rejecting the latest junior cycle proposals

It was a proud day on Wednesday for parents of thousands of Junior Certificate students — but a father in Cork Prison was celebrating his own results as well as his daughter’s.

There was delight for students all around the country — but particular elation for an exclusive club of just six who got 12 higher-level As in their Junior Certificate results.

A 71-year-old grandmother is one of some 2,700 students celebrating Junior Certificate results in Limerick yesterday.

The uptake of higher-level maths is still growing among Junior Certificate students, as the effects of curriculum reform and college course application considerations continue.

Nearly one-third of Junior Certificate students this year did an optional oral Irish test that was not conducted by State examiners despite union opposition to such practices.

Extra staff to design and deliver teacher training for the revised junior cycle are being recruited before unions vote on whether to adopt the changes.

Behind the issue of who examines students, junior cycle reforms could revolutionise teaching and learning, writes Education Correspondent Niall Murray.            

The 17,000 members of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (Asti) have not been recommended by their leadership to vote for or against a crucial junior cycle reform package.

Any training of teachers for new assessments of Junior Cycle students from next spring will not be able to start until at least mid-October as unions have yet to ballot members on the plans.

Mairead Glynn of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland said yesterday’s higher-level Junior Certificate music exam was very fair.

The document agreed by union leaders and Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan includes substantial elements of previous documents that had the support of all parties, but varies on some significant elements.

Further talks between teacher unions and the Department of Education over the next five weeks will be key to the chances of a positive outcome on changes to junior cycle education.

The executives of the secondary teaching unions meet today to vote on an agreement reached over reform of the Junior Cert.

Some six years after the idea of junior cycle reform was floated, there has finally been an agreement, writes Education Correspondent Niall Murray

A potential breakthrough in the long-running teachers’ dispute over junior cycle reforms will be considered by union leaders tomorrow.

A breakthrough appears to have been reached on reforming the Junior Cert.

Education Minister Jan O'Sullivan has said that as long as teaching unions maintain a complete veto on Junior Cert reform proposals, everyone loses.

School principals and deputy school principals are discussing reform of the Junior Cycle and Leaving Cert today.

The Department of Education says some teachers attended training for a new junior cycle course despite union pickets on the venue.

Teachers spoke in support of ongoing opposition to elements of junior cycle reforms at conferences in Kerry and Wexford yesterday.

WITH teachers and Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan engaged in a fruitless war of words, worried parents and the country’s leading business organisation, Ibec, are understandably concerned about the long-term impact of this festering dispute on pupils and the whole education system.

Teachers who want to take part in training for new junior cycle programmes may be blocked by pickets as union leaders seek further changes to reform proposals.

There will be “no compromise” by protesting teachers in their opposition to proposed Junior Certificate reforms, the new president-elect of the 18,000-member ASTI has warned.

The dispute with Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan over Junior Cert reform will continue into 2016, if she implements her proposals without teacher agreement, the leader of the secondary teachers’ union warned.

School-based assessments of junior cycle students will be valued by teachers and parents more than exams over time, the country’s top schools inspector predicts.

Teacher unions held marathon meetings late into last night as they considered proposals for a revised Junior Certificate cycle.

The Education Minister Jan O'Sullivan says it will ultimately be her decision to give Junior Cert reform the go-ahead.

Proposals that could bring an end to ongoing industrial action at schools over junior cycle reforms will be put to teacher union executives next Friday.