Indiscipline a major concern for teachers

Classroom indiscipline and unruly behaviour are set to be among the main issues up for discussion at the annual conferences of Ireland's secondary school teaching unions this week.

The Association of Secondary Teachers and the Teachers Union of Ireland have both been demanding measures to address the issue, which they say has worsened in recent years.

The two groups say the situation is causing increased stress for teachers and harming the education of well-behaved pupils.

Education Minister Mary Hanafin recently announced moves to tackle indiscipline, including the establishment of Behaviour Support Teams to help schools with significant problems.

She also said legislation would be amended to ensure that the individual rights of disruptive pupils do not get priority over the right to education of compliant students.