PRIMARY school teachers will refuse to take on the administrative duties of colleagues who retire, because hundreds of vacancies will not be filled under a public service promotions ban.

MILLIONS of euro that could be spent on modern buildings is being wasted on renting and buying prefabs, angry teachers claimed yesterday.

AN appeals mechanism must be put in place for cases where care support is withdrawn from pupils with disabilities, primary teachers demanded yesterday.

The reception accorded to Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe by the primary teachers attending the conference of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) yesterday at Letterkenny has been depicted as frosty. The teachers were protesting against the pensions levy, the loss of teaching posts and the abolition of special needs classes.

PRIMARY school principals were described as being like jugglers trying to keep several irons in the fire at the same time, and not completing anything in a satisfactory manner.

COCA-COLA is able to win over children through various school sponsorships because the education system is under-funded, it was claimed at the INTO congress, yesterday.

PRIMARY teachers yesterday demanded a substantial pay hike, with no pay pause or further changes in work practices.

THE shortage of special teachers for children with learning disabilities dominates the motions submitted for next month’s primary teachers conference.