Teachers have made enough sacrifices

The threat by the minister of education to refuse to pay teachers for extra work delivered (Irish Examiner, Nov 27) is very much a hollow one, considering that what the minister is actually demanding is that teachers do all this extra work (and more) for free anyway.

The majority of teachers that I have discussed this issue with simply cannot cram any more extra work into an already overloaded schedule and while not ideal, are instead prepared to take yet another set of pay cuts.

Second-level teachers are right to protect their working conditions and stand up against the tsunami of cuts and damage inflicted by the current government on the students of Ireland. OECD studies show that Irish second-level teachers spend more time teaching per annum than their counterparts in the majority of other countries, and they work with the largest class sizes in Europe.

The workload, both teaching and administrative, has increased significantly in recent years, while vital resources and personnel have been stripped from our schools.

For decades, teachers have papered over the cracks in the under-funded educational system by volunteering for work that is the role of paid support staff in most other European countries.

By twice rejecting the Haddington Road proposals, (and hopefully by again voting no in December), ASTI teachers have protected both their working conditions and the quality of the education they provide to their students.

Kevin P McCarthy

Killarney

Co Kerry