Teachers: Action will not disrupt classes

Teachers say their industrial action against Junior Certificate reform will not impact on classes when it begins this morning.

Members of the ASTI and TUI unions say they will not take part in any meetings, planning or training for the reforms by Minister Ruairi Quinn.

They say their concerns about marking papers from their own students are not being listened to. It comes amid speculation that the Leaving Certificate could be next in line for changes.

In separate ballots, members of the ASTI and the TUI voted by 88% to 12% in favour of industrial action. The two unions represent approximately 27,000 second-level teachers.

The Framework for Junior Cycle is due to come into effect from September.

It was announced back in January that the Junior Cert exam would be replaced by the JCSA - Junior Cycle Student Award.

Last month, some 27,000 teachers held lunchtime protests across the country over their 'grave concerns' about the planned changes.

The TUI General-Secretary John MacGabhann said they are not opposed to reform as a whole.

Mr MacGabhan said: "Our issue is not with the proposal that there should be change, per se, it is with the nature of some, not all, but some of the change.

"We are at odds with the minister in terms of the unilateral decision he took on the 4th of October 2012 when he, ignoring the advice given to him by the statutary advisory body, the NCCA, National Council for Curriculum and Assessments, decided that he would abandon state certification and move to internal rather than external assessment of the Junior Cycle."