ASTI launches new campaign to reduce class sizes

The Association of Secondary Teachers has launched a new campaign in an effort to get the Government to reduce secondary school class sizes.

The union says the most recent figures show that as many as 90,000 secondary students are in classes of 25 or more.

This includes 35,000 Junior Cert pupils who are in classes of at least 30 pupils.

The ASTI is blaming the situation on a lack of funding, with Ireland ranked 21 out of 27 OECD countries when it comes to spending on second-level education.

The association wants the Government to set a target for gradually reducing all classes to a maximum of between 20 and 25 pupils between now and 2010.