By the time the 2016 State examinations started yesterday morning, outside temperatures had already reached 20C in some parts of the country.

The dispute between teachers and the Department of Education over junior cycle reform is due to become more protracted after secondary teachers decided not to undertake associated assessments of their own students.

The largest secondary teachers’ union, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (Asti), decided last night to continue its current industrial action against junior cycle reforms.

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.

There were very good choices on yesterday’s Leaving Certificate agricultural science higher-level exam, according to Pat Curtin.

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

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.

No resolution looks likely before Christmas in the teachers’ junior cycle reform dispute as unions plan a third strike early next year if proposed talks do not end in a resolution.

Attempts by Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan to try and restart talks on junior cycle reform have received a tentative welcome from teacher unions.

In the shadow of a big roadside sign promoting the upcoming Kinsale Community school show The Bodyguard, staff took it in turns to operate the picket line of groups of up to 10 teachers at a time, based on a pre-determined roster.

The teachers’ strike, which will cause disruption to hundreds of thousands of students and parents today, looks set to spill into next year with the Government and unions entrenched.

The education reform debate is entering its fourth year and still does not seem clear cut, writes Education Correspondent Niall Murray

Second-level teachers could begin closing schools with strikes before Christmas, despite significant concessions by Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan on Junior Cycle-reform plans.

An €88m investment will see 1,700 more teachers and special needs assistants employed in schools next year as the Government tries to keep pace with record pupil increases.

Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan is not ruling out any changes to the detail of junior cycle reforms after hearing teachers’ concerns about the plans.

The future of major reforms of the junior cycle looks uncertain as outgoing Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has failed to reach any compromise with teacher unions.

The 34,000 students of Junior Certificate French had their written and listening tests at schools around the country yesterday morning.

For 27,000 Leaving Certificate students, French papers were the morning fare and there were no nasty surprises.

The ASTI has voted to sign up to the Haddington Road pay deal.

The Government will only talk to the union of 16,000 teachers disrupting 500 second-level schools if they are willing to sign up to the Haddington Road deal, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn’s top civil servant said yesterday.

Almost 22,000 students ended the second week of Junior Certificate 2013 with home economics exams.

The appearance of poet Sylvia Plath on Leaving Certificate English Paper 2 will have brought joy to a huge proportion of the 35,000 higher-level students yesterday afternoon.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has been accused of being out of touch as he was heckled and faced a red card protest at a teachers’ conference.

The major overhaul of the Junior Certificate will proceed as planned despite teachers’ claims they have not been consulted, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn insisted yesterday.

School teachers will refuse to work with unqualified staff in the classroom as concerns soar over thousands of trained teachers out-of-work.

Ireland had one of the lowest education budgets among developed nations as the boom years drew to a close, an independent study revealed today.

The proposed public sector pay and reform deal was dealt a major blow today after two teaching unions voted to throw it out.

Education chiefs vowed tonight to increase pressure on schools to improve sex education after a shocking survey revealed three-quarters of teenagers are not taught the subject.

Unions lined up tonight to launch vicious attacks on the Government threatening months of angry disputes and strikes over pay cuts.

One of the country’s largest teaching unions today urged pupils sitting next week’s Leaving and Junior Certificate exams not to stay up all night cramming.

A FIANNA Fáil senator has said corporal punishment should be brought back in schools in a bid to curb lawlessness.