Teacher action could impact day and night courses

Hundreds of community and adult education students at second-level schools could lose out if industrial action by teachers over Junior Cycle reforms escalates.

While talks are scheduled for next week between Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan and the two second-level teacher unions, there is a possibility they could step up their action in opposition to changes that take effect from this week.

With most of the country’s 730 second-level schools reopening this week, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) will ballot its 17,000 members next month for the authority to move to strike action if the issue is not resolved. But the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) already has a strike mandate following a vote by its 10,000 second-level members last spring.