Minister hits out at striking teachers

The nationwide teachers strike planned for tomorrow has been attacked by ministers.

The walk-out, which is set to see 350,000 pupils impacted, is in relation to concern by teachers on changes to the exam system.

Health Minister Leo Varadkar urged teachers to think again and return to the negotiating table.

“I really think the strike is disproportionate,” Mr Varadkar told RTÉ. “This is something that surely they can continue to negotiate and sort out.

“Almost all the boards of management are in favour of this change.”

Mr Varadkar attacked unions for holding back reform of the junior cycle.

Defending Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan, Mr Varadkar insisted she had made a number of compromises on the issue.

Teaching unions insist the reforms are not in the best interests of children and that industrial action was a last resort.

Unions are unhappy with changes which would see teachers assess 40% of their own students’ work for the exam, which is set to replace the Junior Certificate.

Philip Irwin, president of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (Asti), has insisted that school staff are untied on the issue and still held the door open for further talks on the controversy.

Mr Irwin insisted that external assessment of pupils’ work was the standard that teachers wished to stick with.

Ms O’Sullivan has rejected union claims that the reforms are motivated by a desire to save money.

Up to 27,000 teachers are expected to take part in the strike which is likely to force the closure of 730 second-level schools.

Attempts at talks failed last week, following the refusal of Asti and Teachers’ Union of Ireland leaders to discuss the plans as long as there remained a requirement for members to asses their own pupils.