Strikes: Over 500 schools set to shut on Monday

More than 500 schools will almost certainly close from Monday after the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) leadership decided its latest industrial action would go ahead.

Around 250,000 students will have no classes and nearly 400 schools could be closed indefinitely as they have no contingency in place because of restrictions put in place by the union that do not allow principals to manage temporary supervisors who might be hired in.

Although talks are to take place again today with the Department of Education, the ASTI’s 23-member standing committee last night affirmed the plans for their 17,500 members to stop doing supervision and substitution work on return from the mid-term break. Members have been told to turn up for their classes as usual on Monday, claiming they are available for teaching duties, but not for supervision and substitution.