07/11/2011

Union Slams Teacher Cuts

A union, which represents teachers in Ireland, has spoke out against proposals to cut teacher posts by up to 1,000 next year.

The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) has criticised plans which see "extreme" cuts on the horizon for teachers.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn and Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin are in discussions to cut the number of teachers at primary and secondary level by between 1,500-2,000.

It is believed the cuts will mean secondary schools will have an average of 20 students per teacher, while the primary school ratio will be pushed to at least 28 students per teacher by September next year.

TUI Deputy General Secretary Annette Dolan said that these cuts will lead to "tough decisions”.

She said:"Ultimately what this cut will mean is not more pupils in the classroom, but less teachers in the school, which, at second level, means less subject choice.

"So, for instance, principals in schools will now have to make a choice in relation to what subjects they drop, and what higher-level and ordinary-level classes they put together."

(LB)

Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

06 October 2009
Protestant School Cutbacks Opposed
Cutbacks in non Catholic schools across the Irish Republic are being opposed. It has emerged that Protestants in the State are to 'take the fight' to the Daíl to try to halt cuts to school budgets.
27 March 2019
New Climate Action Teacher Resource Launches
A new Climate Action teacher resource is to be made available to all post-primary schools from today, 27 March, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Richard Bruton T.D. has announced.
07 September 2012
Teachers Union Says Schools Pushed To Breaking Point
Students being sent home early as a result of budget cuts demonstrate the agonising choices some schools have had to make recently, according to teachers union ASTI One secondary school has said that it is being forced to send first year and second year students home early due to staffing cuts, RTÉ News has reported.
04 April 2013
FF Urges Minister Not To Dismiss Teachers Concerns
Fianna Fáil has urged the Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn not to dismiss genuine concerns of teachers about the severe impact of cuts to frontline education services.
23 April 2014
Junior Cycle Reforms Will Not Be Deferred - Quinn
There are no plans to defer the implementation of reforms to the Junior Cycle programme, despite opposition to the move by the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI).