Secondary school teachers have voted overwhelmingly to reject government support measures for Leaving Certificate reforms and approved industrial action that could lead to strikes when the new academic year begins in September.
The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) membership voted 68% to 32% against the Senior Cycle Redevelopment Implementation Support Measures, with a strong turnout of 73% participating in the ballot. In a separate vote, 67% of members backed industrial action “up to and including strike action” in opposition to the accelerated implementation of the reforms.
The controversial reforms, scheduled to begin this September, would fundamentally change how students are assessed by allocating a minimum of 40% of Leaving Certificate marks to project work or practical assignments across all subjects. The Department of Education argues this approach will provide a more comprehensive evaluation of students’ abilities beyond traditional written examinations.
However, teachers have raised serious concerns about the practical implementation of these changes, particularly regarding assessment methods and the growing risk of students using artificial intelligence to complete coursework assignments.
ASTI General Secretary Kieran Christie said the support measures offered by the government “do little to provide a Senior Cycle experience for all students that addresses the core inequalities that are in place in the second-level system.”
He cited ASTI research published earlier this year highlighting “the lack of resources and capacity in schools to introduce such radical change in an effective manner,” along with challenges posed by AI developments and insufficient teacher training in some subject areas.
“The support package available from the Department fails to sufficiently address these concerns,” Christie added.
The union’s decision contrasts sharply with that of the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI), whose members voted 73% to 27% last week to accept the government’s support package.
Education Minister Helen McEntee defended the reform programme, stating that the support measures followed “positive engagement” between her department and both teacher unions. She emphasized that ASTI members had previously committed to cooperating with Senior Cycle Redevelopment and confirmed they would teach the new specifications from September.
“The vote will not affect the implementation of targeted supports for students contained in the package,” McEntee said. “As I confirmed in April, the implementation of the programme will continue with the introduction of the first tranche of new and revised Leaving Certificate subjects in September 2025 as previously announced.”
The minister stressed her commitment to delivering additional student support measures despite the union opposition, saying the package contains “significant measures aimed at supporting students directly.”
The ASTI indicated it remains willing to engage with the minister and her department to address their concerns, but the threat of industrial action creates uncertainty as schools prepare for the new academic year.
The dispute highlights broader tensions within Ireland’s education system as it attempts to modernize assessment methods while addressing teacher concerns about resources, training, and technological challenges.