Tag Archives: ASTI

As the Junior and Leaving Certificate exams begin today (Wednesday), ASTI President Philip Irwin has urged students in Clare and countrywide to “look after yourself” over the coming days and weeks. First up for both the Leaving Cert and Junior Cert was the English paper 1, to be followed in the afternoon by English paper 2 for the Leaving Cert. Junior Cert students are facing into Home Economics. “It’s normal that you would experience some stress during the exams period. However, it is important to keep things in perspective – these exams do not define your worth as a person. Just as in life, you may have good days and not so good days,” was Mr Irwin’s message to approximately 119,000 sitting the State exams. “The important thing is to move on and put extra effort into looking after yourself. Have a good routine including enough time for sleep, rest, relaxation and exercise, and make sure you are eating well. All …

Second-level teachers in Clare will protest outside their schools at lunchtime this Thursday but student class time will not be affected by the protest. The protest aims to highlight the need to maintain independent assessment of student attainment at Junior Cycle. It involves members of the ASTI and the TUI. Up to 27,000 second-level teachers across the country will participate. Peter Quinn, ASTI representative for Clare and a teacher at St. Flannan’s College said teachers fully support a move away from excessive reliance on written exams and want to see more focus in schools on practical, portfolio, and project work. “We want to maintain independent, external assessment in order to protect standards, equity, quality and fairness. Anything less has the potential to seriously undermine Junior Cycle education and to widen inequalities between students and schools. We cannot take this risk with our young people. “We appreciate the support we have received from parents and the community during this campaign,” he …

Second-level schools around the county are closed on Thursday as teachers stage their second strike, protesting against changes to the Junior Cycle. More than 7,000 students in Clare were advised not to turn up to classes as hundreds of members of the Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland (ASTI) and the Teachers’ Union of Ireland picket schools. Teachers say the changes, planned by the Department of Education, will undermine standards and fairness. A total of 27,000 second-level teachers are on strike because they believe aspects of the Junior Cycle proposals pose a threat to education standards, fairness and quality. Teachers also have concerns about the capacity of the current system to accommodate such major change. Talks between teaching unions and the Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’Sullivan, TD, were held last week in relation to the implementation of Junior Cycle reform. Minister O’Sullivan described the action as “entirely disproportionate”. “It will result in our second-level students missing another day …

The ASTI Standing Committee and TUI Executive Committee today (Friday) decided that a second day’s strike action over the Junior Cycle dispute will take place on Thursday, January 22. The unions also decided, if necessary, to take an additional day of strike action, the date to be announced. Both unions, which represent 27,000 second level teachers, have a strong mandate for industrial action following ballots of membership. A first day’s strike action took place on December 2. The executive bodies of both unions also agreed that they are prepared to meet with Dr Pauric Travers with a view to facilitating constructive engagement that might help to resolve the impasse. The Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan stated on Wednesday that she intends to request that Dr Travers consult with both sides, and the unions see this as a positive development.

It’s schools out for hundreds of second level pupils throughout County Clare and South Galway today (Tuesday), as members of the ASTI and TUI stage a one-day strike in protest over elements of the proposed new Junior Cycle. On a bitterly cold but dry day, 27,000 second level teachers around the country are taking all-out strike action. Teachers represented by ASTI and TUI are concerned that aspects of the proposals pose a threat to education standards, fairness and quality. Teachers also have concerns about current system capacity to accommodate such major change. “Teachers care deeply about the education system that they work in and the students they teach,” said ASTI president, Philip Irwin. “They are reluctantly taking strike action today in protest at what they see as a significant threat to education standards and education quality in Ireland. However, we are open to further engagement with the minister on this issue in an effort to seek a solution. We still …