Students have been urged to ignore speculation about the exams, particularly on social media, and stay focused on their studies as schools look set to remain closed.

Hundreds of schools nationwide are to remain shut today as almost 20,000 educators strike over what they describe as an ongoing failure to eliminate pay discrimination within the teaching profession.

Thousands of teachers and lecturers have vowed to ramp up their campaign of industrial action in a bid to end “pay discrimination”, warning there will be no ‘honeymoon period’ for the next government.

The GAA have warned their clubs against using WhatsApp for official purposes over data-protection concerns.

Secondary schools, colleges of further and adult education and institutes of technology are facing strike action by members of the Teachers' Union of Ireland next month.

Members of the Teachers Union of Ireland are to strike on Tuesday, February 4.

New secondary school teachers hired since 2011 have been on a lower pay scale than their more senior colleagues. Their union is demanding they be put on the same pay as their senior colleagues.

Secondary school teachers have voted to strike over lower pay for new entrants to the profession.

Almost 65,000 students are set to receive their Junior Certificate examinations results today.

The State Examinations Commission needs to recruit suitably qualified and experienced teachers “in greater numbers” to correct Leaving Certificate examination papers, the Teachers Union of Ireland has urged.

While young people in Ireland are among the most educated globally, low national investment in education is leading to overstretched schools, teaching unions have warned.

This delay is undermining confidence in a resolution negotiated last April, the largest teaching union in Ireland has warned.

Almost 58,800 students receiving their results this morning are reminded to remain calm in the days and weeks ahead regardless of what the day brings.

More than two-thirds of teachers struggle to make ends meet.

The President of the Teachers Union of Ireland Seamus Lahart warned Education Minister Joe McHugh that the issue of unequal pay is not going away.

Almost half of schools have teaching vacancies and more than nine out of 10 principals reported recruitment difficulties in the last six months.

Almost half of schools have teaching vacancies and more than nine-out-of-10 principals reported recruitment difficulties in the last six months.

The Teachers' Union of Ireland is warning that a significant projected increase in the number of students in the country's third level institutions will greatly worsen the current crisis in the sector unless urgent action is taken.

Teacher unions will be consulted by a steering group examining ways to deal with the problems schools face in recruiting teachers, the Department of Education has promised.

Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan is disturbed by the idea of teachers blocking colleagues from upskilling themselves as the impasse on junior cycle reform shows no sign of lifting.