Second level unions attend Junior Cycle talks with Minister

By piofficer, Wednesday, 19th November 2014 | 0 comments

Talks today between the teacher unions – the ASTI and the TUI – and the Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’Sullivan have not resolved the current impasse over the Framework for Junior Cycle.

Following the talks ASTI and TUI representatives said the Minister’s insistence that 40 per cent of the marks for State certification be awarded by students’ own teachers has created an impasse. Other issues of concern to the teacher unions also remain, such as the failure to clarify how the proposals will be resourced in schools.

Last week the ASTI Standing Committee and TUI Executive Committee voted to take a day’s strike action on Tuesday, December 2nd and a further day of strike action in January 2015, the date to be decided. The decision to take strike action is a result of the impasse reached in the talks process involving the unions and the Department of Education and Skills.

Today the unions reiterated their support for changes to the Junior Cycle including new forms of assessment such as portfolio and practical work. The union representatives said they attended today’s talks because they believe a solution is possible which protects education standards, is student centred, and which does not undermine the integrity of Ireland’s State exams system.

The representatives added that strike action is a last resort but all other avenues have been exhausted to date.

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