Teachers get protest support

Education Correspondent

When the ASTI’s industrial action closed hundreds of schools two years ago, Barbara Johnson, spokesperson for the National Congress of Catholic Secondary Schools Parent Associations (CSPA), was among the strongest critics of the strike.

However, the CSPA has backed the union for its stance on the Junior Certificate course which Education Minister Noel Dempsey is introducing for students starting second level this year.

While he has allowed schools without up-to-date laboratories to continue with the old course until next year, the ASTI is telling members not to teach it because of safety risks in labs. The Department of Education is looking at the possibility of stopping pay increases due to ASTI members because of their leaderships’ directive.

Ms Johnson said last night this was unfair and she backed the ASTI directive, because two-thirds of the country’s second level schools are not equipped to teach the new syllabus.

“This is going to lead to inequitable system if the minister proposes to have two Junior Cert science exams in 2006. People going into third level a few years later will have learned different things in school, and the schools with the best finances will have the students with the best science education,” she said.

Earlier this week, the author of a major report on science at second level said teachers should teach the syllabus if they have proper labs. Dr Danny O’Hare said the development of science as an attractive subject to children is important to the economy, to maintain our level of graduates with hi-tech skills. However, he also said the Government must make a commitment to funding that would ensure every school has a modern laboratory and technicians to assist teachers. These were among the recommendations of the report of the Task Force on Physical Science, which he chaired, in their report to the Department of Education last year.