Teachers could lose pay if controversial reforms to the Leaving Certificate do not go ahead.
Today, Education Minister Helen McEntee will update her Cabinet colleagues on the changes that are due to be rolled out at the beginning of the new academic year in September.
“She has had discussions with her Department, with the teaching unions,” Newstalk Political Correspondent Seán Defoe told Newstalk Breakfast.
“She’ll tell [them] they’ve provided significant support with over 26,000 teachers having taken on training about these new courses and these new changes that are putting more focus on practical elements.
“To take a bit of pressure off the final exam is the idea by providing 40% through a practical or participation element of whatever subject it is.
“This is going to go to the TUI and the ASTI have said they are urging their members to back the deal.”
Leaving Certificate students. Picture by: Mark Stedman/RollingNews.ieLeaving Cert reforms
ASTI are planning a vote early next month and, if their members reject it, there could be a further vote on industrial action.
“[This] could lead to some sort of pay losses,” Seán said.
“What Helen McEntee is going to say is there was a big package on offer, that includes changes to the Croke Park deal hours, that includes arrangements for teachers to secure permanent contracts earlier and additional posts of responsibility in schools,” he said.
Some teachers remain hugely worried that the coursework element of the new curriculum will undermine the integrity of the Leaving Cert.
“One of the big concerns in particular in subjects like English is the use of AI,” Seán said.
“And how, if there are practical courses or if it’s a final paper for whatever they’re submitting outside of an exam, could AI be used to advantage them?
“There’s going to be working groups like that.”
The Government has promised that any other issues teachers raise will be “pretty quickly”.
Main image: A student starting his English Paper 1. Picture by: AG News/Alamy Live News
