“More than 60% of schools are considering dropping subjects from the Leaving Cert programme from September because of budget cuts, according to a new survey for the main second-level teacher union, the ASTI …” (more)
[Louise Holden, Irish Times, 5 April]
“Repeated calls have been made down the years for greater emphasis on certain Leaving Certificate subjects including chemistry, physics, accounting, and economics, some of the educational ingredients deemed vital for Ireland’s future growth and development …” (more)
[Irish Examiner, 5 April]
“64% of second-level schools are considering dropping one or more subjects from their Leaving Cert programme as a result of Budget 2012 education cuts, a study commissioned by the ASTI has found. The Leaving Cert subjects most likely to be dropped by schools in September 2012 are accounting, chemistry, physics, and economics …” (more)
[ASTI, 4 April]
“I have attended the annual teacher conference for many years but this year I will not be going. I always thought it was important to be there, to get a chance to put my view forward …” (more)
[Irish Times, 13 March]
“… Speaking at an ASTI seminar for principals and deputy principals, school principal John O’Donovan said: ‘Principals are not fooled by the Department’s use of the phrase “greater freedom to allocate and manage staff” to describe the axing of ex-quota guidance counsellor provision. This is a straightforward cut in teacher numbers …’” (more)
[ASTI, 29 February]
“Where did it all go wrong? It’s a question that Ruairí Quinn must be pondering after a difficult few weeks. Not that long ago, Quinn was winning plaudits for his reforming zeal in education …” (more)
[Irish Times, 28 February]
“At its meeting today, the Standing Committee of the ASTI adopted a motion stating that in the event that the Government breaches the Public Service (Croke Park) Agreement by cutting teachers’ pay, the ASTI’s executive council will meet to decide on conducting a ballot on withdrawal from the Agreement …” (more)
[ASTI, 23 February]
“ASTI representatives will meet PDE students in Trinity College and UCD next week in order to discuss the unfair treatment of new teacher entrants by government. The meetings come ahead of a protest by student teachers against government decisions to cut the pay, cap the allowances, and – most recently – freeze the allowances of new entrants to teaching …” (more)
[ASTI, 17 February]
“Education systems in the highest-performing OECD countries tend to prioritise higher salaries for teachers over smaller class sizes, according to the organisation’s monthly assessment notes …” (more)
[Pamela Duncan, Irish Times, 17 February]
“A union representing teachers has played down reports that the Revenue has launched a probe into undeclared fees for after-school grinds, describing it as not a ‘widespread issue’ …” (more)
[TheJournal.ie, 9 January]
“There has been mixed reaction from teachers’ unions and the business sector on proposals to reform the Junior Certificate cycle at second level. The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland said the plans must be made ‘fail-proof’ before they were introduced …” (more)
[Irish Times, 3 November]
“A proposal to limit the number of Junior Certificate subjects students sit exams in to eight will be put in place in 2014, Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn has said. Mr Quinn announced yesterday that the reduced number of subjects students sit will apply to those pupils who first enter secondary school in 2014 …” (more)
[Pamela Duncan, Irish Times, 21 October]
“Below is a short post from a student teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, on a decision made by our country’s universities to down-grade the Post Graduation Diploma in Education (PGDE) from a National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) Level 9 qualification to a Level 8 (at the same level as a Higher Degree) – without any consultation with the students who have registered and paid for their course …” (more)
[Humphrey Jones, More Stress, Less Success, 14 October]
“New pensions legislation which aims to cut the cost of the public sector pension bill by 35% has been described as ‘larcenous’ and illegal by the main unions representing teachers. The secondary teachers union, the ASTI, said it was considering challenging the measures in the courts …” (more)
[Paul Cullen, Irish Times, 30 September]
“Now is not the time for a radical overhaul of the Junior Certificate, teachers said yesterday. They were responding to Education Minister Ruairi Quinn’s plans to introduce continuous assessment to the system in what teachers said amounted to ‘sweeping educational reform’ …” (more)
[Fergus Black and Breda Heffernan, Independent, 27 August]
“Sir, – Seán Flynn (Front page, August 26th) draws attention to proposals being prepared for the Minister for Education by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. The focus of the article – the ‘radical overhaul’ of assessment procedures at Junior Cert level and the likely reaction of the ASTI to this – masks some disturbing aspects of these same proposals …” (more)
[Maureen Cooney, Irish Times, 30 August]
“Now is not the time for a radical overhaul of the Junior Certificate, teachers said yesterday. They were responding to Education Minister Ruairi Quinn’s plans to introduce continuous assessment to the system in what teachers said amounted to ‘sweeping educational reform’ …” (more)
[Fergus Black and Breda Heffernan, Independent, 27 August]
“The new Junior Cert will only be made up of 50% written exams in a radical overhaul. The new proposals place a heavy emphasis on school-based portfolio work. But the plans could be opposed by teacher union ASTI. The paper from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment says a ’50-50′ split is being discussed, but so is a 60-40 divide is favoured by some …” (more)
[Independent, 26 August]
“Written exams would account for only 50 per cent of the marks in the revised Junior Cert under new proposals designed to radically overhaul the grading system.The proposals place a heavy emphasis on school-based portfolio work in a move which could be opposed by the main second-level teacher union, the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland ASTI. The confidential briefing document has been prepared at Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn’s request …” (more)
[Seán Flynn, Irish Times, 26 August]
“Written exams would account for only 50 per cent of the marks in the revised Junior Cert under new proposals designed to radically overhaul the grading system. The proposals place a heavy emphasis on school-based portfolio work …” (more)
[Seán Flynn, Irish Times, 26 August]
