Donegal teachers were among the 30,000 members of the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) and the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) staging lunchtime protests today over changes to the Senior Cycle.
The protest aims to highlight teachers’ concerns with the speed of a major redevelopment of the Leaving Cert cycle.
Padraig Curley, a teacher at Loreto Community School, Milford and ASTI Standing Committee representative, said: “We are committed to curriculum change which promotes equality, enhances students’ education and protects education standards. We are very concerned by the decision to accelerate Senior Cycle redevelopment; a process that involves significant change, including changes to the Leaving Cert.
“Teachers are asking that schools are allocated the required resources before the implementation of these significant changes. In addition, the revision of Leaving Cert subjects must not be rushed through, so as to ensure changes are educationally sound and, crucially, that Leaving Cert students can be assured of equity and fairness.”
ASTI members from Loreto Milford taking part in the lunchtime protest on Tuesday. Photo Clive Wasson
ASTI and TUI say that members are not opposed to the redevelopment of the Senior Cycle. Nor are they calling for the postponement of the new pilot subjects Drama, Film, and Theatre Studies and Climate Action and Sustainable Development which, crucially, are being supported with additional resources and allocation for those schools involved.
For successful Senior Cycle reform, they are asking that resources are allocated to all schools to ensure a smooth transition. Any modifications to subjects or specifications should not be “rushed through”, should be educationally beneficial, and based on teacher input. They are also calling for comprehensive in-service training must be provided to all teachers well ahead of implementation.
“This campaign is being driven by teachers in order to protect the standards and quality of the Irish education system,” said a statement from ASTI and TUI.
“Our members will support change that is sufficiently resourced and is of educational benefit. Regrettably, our experience to date has cause for concern and has resulted in this campaign to seek a postponement.”
