Teachers set for junior cycle training

The Department of Education says the vast majority of English teachers at schools staffed by Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) members are signed up to resume training on the new junior cycle.

The industrial action of TUI and Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) of the last 18 months has seen a ban on their members taking part in continuous professional development (CPD) for the revised curriculum. English is the first subject in which reforms are taking effect, as part of an overhaul that has been in dispute since 2011.

TUI members voted last month to accept the reforms, after further concessions were negotiated with the department during the summer. But the Asti is awaiting members’ feedback on remaining concerns after their ballot rejected approval of the package.

Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan has said she will gladly clarify any issues but insists there is no going back to the negotiating table.

The first courses for teachers of English at schools managed by education and training boards (ETBs) begins next week as they are almost entirely staffed by TUI members. There are around 1,500 teachers of English in the 238 ETB schools and 1,469 have been registered for training since invitations issued to their schools three weeks ago.

The first of a new form of assessment by English teachers of their own second-year students is set to begin in the next term. But with an option for schools to delay it until autumn 2016, Ms O’Sullivan has said the reforms can still be extended to all schools if ASTI signs up, even if a further ballot has to take place early next year.

ASTI members make up the majority of staff at more than half of the country’s 730 second-level schools, with TUI and ASTI members working in around 100 community and comprehensive schools.