Teachers to begin action today over Junior Cycle plans

Little effect is likely to be felt by students or schools as teachers begin industrial action today in protest at reforms that will see the abolition of the Junior Certificate.

Around 27,000 second-level members of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland and Teachers’ Union of Ireland are under orders, after strong ballot results last month, not to take part in any training, planning, or teaching connected with Education Minister Ruairi Quinn’s proposed new Junior Cycle School Award.

With most teachers of English and school leaders (principals or teachers overseeing the changes in their schools) having already undertaken the first stage of training for the new programme, and none scheduled before the summer holidays, schools expect the industrial action will have limited impact during the rest of this school year.

The first students due to see the new system in action are first-year students starting second level in September. They are to be taught a revised curriculum in English, which will be the subject of new assessments from 2016 and the first Junior Cycle certificates in 2017.

As previously highlighted by the Irish Examiner, workshops on the new curriculum and wider reforms have been well-attended to date.

Latest figures show that 204 events for teachers of English have had 4,698 participants, or 89% of all those expected, although nearly one in four schools have not been represented at 78 workshops for school leaders.

All training had always been due for completion for this school year by the end of March, according to the Department of Education.

“We are very glad the continuous professional development and teacher training has been completed with extremely good attendance,” a spokesperson said.

Following union concerns, additional training is also planned over the next three years. However, the issue of teachers being expected to mark their own students on all aspects of the Junior Cycle — including the final written exams — remains the key sticking point, in addition to resourcing for schools.

Mr Quinn is expected to face pressure on the matter at Easter teacher conferences in a fortnight, but numerous sources believe a compromise on an acceptable system of moderating standards between schools will help resolve the dispute.

National Parents’ Council Primary chief executive Jim Moore told the Irish Examiner last week there are high levels of trust in teachers to mark students fairly, and that they will not face unwarranted pressure from parents.