Teachers ‘pass pickets’ to attend Junior Cert reform training course

The Department of Education says some teachers attended training for a new junior cycle course despite union pickets on the venue.

Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) members are directed not to take part in professional development for junior cycle while the unions remain in dispute over reforms with which Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan is proceeding.

Officers of both unions picketed education centres in Monaghan and Sligo on Monday, where the first two sessions were scheduled for teachers of English. While none attended in Monaghan, the department said the Sligo training session was attended by teachers.

The numbers who took part are unknown but are believed to be very small, and it was unclear if any are members of either union. Just 64 teachers have registered so far to attend any of the 22 training sessions organised this week and next.

The department repeated concern raised last week by the minister about unions impeding members’ access to training, which it said will continue to be rolled out. The unions say they are protecting teachers of English who feel under pressure as the first group due to assess their own students for a new school-based junior-cycle system from next spring.

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