Teachers 'unprepared for new Junior Cert syllabus'

Teachers say they are unprepared for the new Junior Cert syllabus which will be phased in for first-year students from next September.

The Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn says the new syllabus will focus on project work and practical learning rather than a state exam.

The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland says the training and resources on offer are not sufficient.

It has also raised concerns that under the new regime, the first formal state exam students will face will be the Leaving Cert.

General Secretary Pat King says the new system changes the role of teachers significantly.

"Teachers want to be the advocates of students, not their judges" he said.

"What's proposed is to turn the teachers into the judges of the students. We don't want to do that. And that's the message I'm getting from [our members].

"We've spoken, met with, consulted thousands, tens of thousands of teachers."