TUI has long supported curriculum reform at all levels of education. It fully understands the desirability and critical importance of on-going reform but has grave concerns about the plans for significant changes to the junior cycle at this time. These concerns arises from the cuts implemented in the education sector since 2008 which have led to a critical reduction in teachers numbers, less teaching and development time and significantly less operational, administrative and financial supports. All of these have impaired service provision to students and placed enormous restrictions on capacity at school level for innovation or change. The threat of a further reduction in teacher numbers exacerbates these concerns.

The ideas being put forward for change especially locally developed courses and involvement of teachers in assessing students for examination purposes will require significant investment in professional development initiatives and in systems and supports to ensure consistency of standards across the system. They also call for strategies to guard against greater inequity as the opportunities available for students may depend on where they come from or which schools they attend.

As yet TUI has seen no evidence that the ideas being put forward for reform of the junior cycle will be supported in a manner that addresses these issues. Therefore it has not, as claimed by some elements of the media, signed up to proposals for junior cycle development. It has however endorsed the substantive ideas set out by the NCCA on the understanding that this will enable discussion to take place with the Department, in which TUI will be involved, on the nature and level of resource required for effective implementation. The union's view will be contingent on the level of resources being made available.

For clarification contact Peter MacMenamin or Bernie Ruane