The likelihood of prolonged closures at hundreds of second-level schools is increased by the difficulty facing schools training anyone hired to supervise students during next month’s industrial action by teachers.

The dominance of women around family-rearing ages in teaching could become a major issue for school staffing, a review has found.

Students will suffer untold damage unless junior cycle reform proposals are put into action, says the head of a body representing almost 100 second-level schools.

All three groups representing second-level schools say they support delays to some assessment by teachers of their junior cycle students — to help resolve an ongoing dispute.

School managers have told Education Minister Ruairí Quinn his plan to replace the Junior Certificate will fail if he does not give schools the time and staffing supports to implement it.

A protracted stand-off between teachers and Education Minister Ruairi Quinn over junior cycle reform looks likely after he said he is pushing ahead as planned.

Schools are operating smoothly but atmospheres could become more intense if industrial action by 16,000 teachers continues for much longer, a management leader has said.

Teaching at almost one-in-seven secondary schools is weak, inspectors have found in evaluations over the past three years.

THE transfer of some primary schools from the patronage of the Catholic hierarchy faces inevitable opposition but it is time for movement, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said last night.

SCHOOLS are having problems finding qualified staff to teach Irish, home economics and other key subjects, a top school managers’ representative warned yesterday.

TEACHERS must be given more time for planning and other activities outside the classroom if schools are to improve their service to students, a school managers’ leader said yesterday.

A MAJOR teachers’ union is set to ask for a 15% wages hike in an independent pay claim — despite its recent return to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).

STUDENTS are losing their entitlement to a full education as teacher training is being provided during school time, a managers’ leader claimed yesterday.

SCHOOLS in poorer areas which previously got extra help to keep students in education are in danger of becoming victims of their own success, a management leader has warned.

POOR Leaving Cert results could damage Ireland’s reputation as a cutting-edge economy, business chiefs claimed yesterday.

THE concerns of parents about vetting the background of school staff working with children will be raised with Education Minister Noel Dempsey tomorrow.