Strike action necessary to protect education standards equity and fairness say union leaders

Some 27,000 second-level teachers are taking strike action today (Thursday January 22) in protest over aspects of the Framework for Junior Cycle which the Department of Education and Skills is currently implementing in second-level schools.

Today’s strike action by members of the ASTI and TUI follows a day of strike action in December.

The presidents of the ASTI and TUI this morning reiterated that they are willing to engage in talks without preconditions in a bid to resolve the dispute.

However, they stated that today’s strike is necessary because there has been no breakthrough on teachers’ key concerns and because the Department of Education and Skills has refused the unions’ request to defer implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle until the dispute is resolved.

“Teacher unions have no option but to proceed with strike action, as to date talks have not produced a breakthrough,” said Gerry Quinn, TUI president.

“We already have an independent, objective, transparent and rigorous state examinations model which maintains public trust, and teachers fully support a move away from an excessive reliance on final written examinations. However, we believe that the introduction of school-based assessment for certification poses a serious threat to the credibility of the examination process.”

ASTI president Philip Irwin said: “We want a first class Junior Cycle education for all students. We fully agree that project work, portfolio work, practical work, and other methods of evaluating student learning are vital elements of a modern, forward-looking system, but we believe that they should be externally assessed for certification purposes.

“There are also serious and justified concerns over the capacity and school and system level to deal with the current proposals. We believe a resolution can be found, but teachers’ serious concerns must be listened to and addressed. Teachers must have confidence in the change they are implementing in their classrooms.”

The ASTI Standing Committee and TUI Executive Committee are to consider further industrial action over the Framework for Junior Cycle in the coming weeks.

‘Closing of schools must stop’

Joanna Siewierska, Irish Second-Level Students Union, ISSU education officer, said this morning: “I respect the teacher unions and their concerns in relation to the Junior Certificate reforms. However, as a Leaving Certificate student I am only 10 days away from sitting my mock exams.

“This second day of strike action is disrupting mine and my fellow students’ education at a crucial and important point in time. It is adding unnecessary confusion to the JCSA discussion and it is equally unfair to all students in second-level school. The closing of secondary schools needs to stop. Again, we respectfully ask teachers to return to talks with the Minister for Education and Skills.”

Craig McHugh, ISSU president, added: “I am extremely disappointed that the striking teacher unions have failed to reach consensus on these reforms and that a second day of strike action is taking place. The JCSA reforms are focused on building a more relevant, fair, engaging and progressive second-level education system.

"Focus needs to return to the Junior Certificate Reform in its entirety and conversations need to happen between the relevant education stakeholders. Our education is being affected by this. This is not fair on students.”