ASTI - Ireland's main second level teachers union

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Children and teachers must not be penalised for the fact that the school-going population is increasing, ASTI General Secretary Pat King said today.

Commenting on reports on spending in the education sector, Mr King said: “Teachers are very aware of the extent of Ireland’s economic difficulties, but children and teachers cannot be penalised for the fact that the school-going population is increasing at second-level. Education is a vital public good and is key to economic recovery.

“Teachers are contributing to economic recovery. In signing up to the Croke Park Agreement, second-level teachers have agreed to 33 additional hours per year; over 900,000 hours per year across the second-level education sector. Teachers have also committed to a number of other arrangements designed to improve the education service at second-level. These arrangements represent significant productivity which will make a lasting contribution to economic recovery”.

Mr King said hundreds of second-level teachers will be redeployed this year. In addition, second-level schools will lose a further 500 teaching posts in 2011. “This is a difficult time for many school communities as well as individual teachers,” said Mr King. “In addition many young teachers are finding it difficult to get any sort of work in teaching.”

The Croke Park Agreement is now being implemented in second-level schools. Its implementation follows two years of savage cuts to the education sector including the loss of up to 1,000 second-level teaching posts, a moratorium on middle management posts in schools, and cuts to school funding.

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