Clarity needed in teacher sanctions

THE latest proposals on sanctions for teachers whose work is less than satisfactory must be introduced soon to provide clarity for school managers and teachers, the Labour Party said yesterday.

The Department of Education has put forward plans for discussion with teacher unions and school management bodies, which are believed to include a school term as the timeframe in which issues should normally be dealt with by the school principal or board of management.

But they also suggest new disciplinary procedures where problems persist or where a teacher is found guilty of misconduct or poses a threat to student health and safety. These would involve a nominee of the department’s inspectorate being brought in to assess the teacher’s suitability for the job, if a request is made by the school board.