ASTI - Ireland's main second level teachers union

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“Any increase in the pupil-teacher ratio is an attack on students and an attack on vulnerable young teachers in temporary teaching positions,” ASTI General Secretary Pat King said today (Saturday, November 19^th).

Mr King said an increase in the pupil-teacher ratio by one will result in the loss of between one and three teachers for most second-level schools. Schools will be forced to drop classes and subjects. Minority subjects with smaller class sizes, such as physics and German, will be most at risk.

“Students will face not being able to take subjects they want or need for their careers. Classes will be bigger and learning will be diminished,” said Mr King. “This is an attack on students. At a time of high unemployment and labour market uncertainty we should be future-proofing young people’s employability through education, not damaging their job prospects.”

Mr King said changes in the pupil-teacher ratio will result in job losses for temporary teachers many of whom are extremely vulnerable. “Twenty-seven per cent of teachers are in precarious employment situations and many do not know whether they will have a job next year. If the pupil-teacher ratio increases many of these teachers will become unemployed. Meanwhile their students’ education will be further damaged. How will this help Ireland towards economic recovery?”