ASTI - Ireland's main second level teachers union

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Responding to today’s media reports on so-called “budget discussions”, ASTI General Secretary Pat King said that any further cuts to second-level education services would cause unimaginable damage to Ireland’s education system.

 “The existing education cutbacks are already devastating the second-level school system. In 2009 our under-resourced schools were further undermined by an increase in the pupil-teacher ratio and a moratorium on essential middle management posts. The Government itself acknowledged the impact of the education cuts on schools when it subsequently promised no further deterioration of the pupil-teacher ratio during its lifetime in the Revised Programme for Government in October 2009.”

 “Overcrowded classes of 30 or more adolescents are now commonplace in our schools. Subjects which are vital to our economic recovery – such as science subjects and modern languages -  have been dropped. Pastoral care initiatives are being curtailed. Young people at risk of dropping out of the school system are being denied appropriate opportunities. All of this is happening to our young people at a vital stage in their development when their experience of school has a crucial impact on their future life chances.” 

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