VEC strike could affect exam students

EXAM preparation for thousands of Junior and Leaving Certificate students could be disrupted if a strike over staffing levels at vocational schools goes ahead.

Talks will be held tomorrow aimed at averting the strike action by up to 700 administration staff at around 250 schools from next Monday.

Concern has already been expressed about the likely impact on payment of wages to around 8,000 teachers and allowances to 5,000 unemployed people on courses, should the strike go ahead.

The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) said much of the Junior and Leaving Cert preparation requires regular communication between schools and exam officials.

“The whole operation of the exams on the ground revolves around school secretaries and things could go wrong if they’re out on strike,” said NAPD spokesperson Brian Fleming.

This is the time of year thousands of students decide to change from one level to another in some subjects as their final choices must be notified to exam officers by the end of next week.

“We would hate if anything happened that might disrupt students or leave them worried about the written exams in June,” Mr Fleming said.

There is also concern about the impact on Leaving Cert oral exams in Irish, French, German, Spanish and Italian and music practicals, all due to be held between March 31 and April 11. At Junior Cert level, deadlines are looming for home economics and metalwork projects, and practicals in home economics and music are set to begin at the end of the month.

Almost 120,000 students are preparing for this year’s Junior and Leaving Cert, the responsibility for which has been taken over by the independent State Examinations Commission.

The IMPACT union will meet Department of Education officials and the Irish Vocational Education Authority tomorrow. The industrial dispute revolves around long-awaited appointments of extra staff at the 33 Vocational Education Committees.

The VECs operate vocational schools, post-Leaving Cert colleges, Youthreach centres and prison education services on a regional basis.

A department spokesperson said the Government decision to cap public sector staffing is affecting their ability to make appointments but they hope to implement the review’s findings.