Teachers may strike before Christmas

Second-level teachers could begin closing schools with strikes before Christmas, despite significant concessions by Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan on Junior Cycle-reform plans.

The Association of Secondary Teachers’ Ireland (Asti) and Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) are holding out for a full reversal of Junior Cycle assessment changes, after a breakdown yesterday evening at independently-chaired talks with her officials.

The Irish Examiner understands both unions will look at possible strike dates in the country’s 730 second-level schools — perhaps this side of Christmas — on Friday morning when they consider escalating their industrial action in the Junior Cycle dispute. The move will be an effort to increase pressure on the minister to ensure their 27,000 second-level members do not have to mark their students for any part of state exams.