Union pickets stop junior-cycle courses for teachers
The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) said they were protecting members under pressure to be the first to assess their own students under disputed reform plans.
ASTI president Philip Irwin and TUI counterpart Gerry Quinn were among a small group of national, regional, and branch officers to picket the Monaghan Education Centre, while a picket was also placed on Sligo Education Centre.
They were the first two venues where teachers of English had been invited to attend the latest phase of continuous professional development (CPD), to include some aspects of how it is proposed the testing of second-year students should take place next spring.
“Our main concern is the new junior cycle CPD, we are of the view there shouldn’t be any training before there’s an agreement,” said Mr Irwin.
“We see ourselves as protecting our English teachers, who are under particular pressure and we see as being targeted.”
The subject is the first in which junior-cycle students are due to be assessed by their own teachers.
Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan is proceeding with the plan in line with proposals in February from independent talks chairman Pauric Travers. However, as they do not accept the entire plan, the unions continue to enforce industrial relations directives that include a ban on CPD or other activities linked to the reforms.
The unions announced the pickets at their respective annual conferences last week, after the Department of Education’s Junior Cycle for Teachers service asked schools to allow teachers of English attend training. The first of those sessions was scheduled yesterday, with others planned at 19 regional centres this week and next.
It is understood employees at the Monaghan centre had already gone in before pickets were placed, but union representatives were confident that no invited teachers turned up because of the unions’ presence.
“There’s no sign of any English teachers going in here,” TUI president Gerry Quinn said at the picket there yesterday morning.
Last week, the minister said she found it disturbing that teaching unions would block their own members from expanding their learning.
She has said the unions are welcome to join talks, due to begin today with school management groups, on resources for implementing junior cycle changes as long as they accept the wider Travers proposals.
A third strike on the issue that could close schools is unlikely before state exams in June, but the date for a lunchtime joint ASTI-TUI protest at 720 second-level schools is set to be announced soon.
