ASTI - Ireland's main second level teachers union

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Responding to the launch of the National Recovery Plan, ASTI General Secretary Pat King has strongly condemned the proposal to reduce the salary of new entrants to teaching by 10% and the removal of two salary increments. “This amounts to a disgraceful attack on vulnerable young teacher graduates. Currently approximately 95% of second level teacher graduates spend up to seven years in part-time and temporary teaching positions before they can secure a proper job and income from teaching. This means that many young teachers are on the poverty line. Under this plan new entrants to teaching will be further disadvantaged and the ASTI can only assume that many capable newly qualified second level teachers will leave the country. This will have lasting consequences for our education system and for the future life chances of every school going child.”

 “This decision very clearly demonstrates that the government is making young people pay the price for the greed and lack of regulation which has created our economic crisis.” 

 “Our schools were at the bottom of the funding league in the boom years.  Today’s Plan demands that education deliver savings of over €690 million over the next four years.  Every parent must now be concerned about how this will impact on teaching and learning in the classroom.”

 “The number of pupils entering the second-level education system will increase significantly in the coming years. It is therefore vital that the Government delivers on its commitment not to further worsen the pupil teacher ratio.”

  

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