ASTI to ballot members on Leaving Cert reforms and possible industrial action

Many teachers have also raised concerns around the authentication of work completed as part of these components, given the rapid advancements in AI technology. File picture: iStock

Teaching union the ASTI is to ballot its membership in the coming weeks on whether or not to accept controversial proposals to change the Leaving Cert curriculum from September this year.

A separate ballot to be voted upon at the same time will seek the vote of the secondary school union’s 20,000-strong membership on whether or not to proceed with industrial action should the proposals be rejected.

A final document was published last Thursday following the conclusion of “intensive” talks between the teaching unions and the Department of Education.

That document, titled Senior Cycle Redevelopment – Implementation Support Measures, includes proposals regarding the establishment of various working groups to support the implementation of the senior cycle reform programme, including in areas related to AI, and the adaptation of this agreement to workload in schools.

It also includes a “commitment” to early, rapid reviews of revised subjects, including their assessment arrangements and emerging trends in student uptake levels, as well as the development of a right-to-disconnect policy applicable to schools.

The actual changes to the curriculum set to be introduced at the start of the next academic year are the most fundamental made to the Leaving Cert in more than a century, with teachers raising concerns around the readiness of schools to roll out the changes, along with the introduction of new project work components.

This project work, called Additional Assessment Components (AACs), is to be worth at least 40% of a student's overall grade in a subject.

Many teachers have also raised concerns around the authentication of work completed as part of these components, given the rapid advancements in AI technology.

Both of the larger secondary unions had vehemently opposed the new changes, in particular the perceived accelerated adoption of same. However, the TUI has advised its members to accept the new proposals. The ASTI has not made the same recommendation at this time.

Both unions had approved emergency motions calling for potential industrial action regarding the changes at their respective annual conferences last month.

ASTI president Donal Cremin said that the coming ballots will ensure “that classroom teachers will have the final say on the proposals”.

“Members will also decide on how the ASTI will proceed in the event that the proposals are rejected by the ASTI membership,” he said.