This week, teacher unions are meeting for their annual conferences. Changes to the Leaving Certificate and ongoing challenges with hiring and retention issues are among the topics that will be discussed.
Following a recent study that revealed four out of ten teachers do not feel they will still be in the profession in ten years, members of the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) are meeting in Cork for a three-day conference to examine staffing difficulties.
Teacher shortages are a continuous issue for schools as the number of students is expected to increase in the upcoming years, particularly at the secondary level.
The Department of Education announced last month that 610 additional primary teacher training spots will be created for 2023–2024; nevertheless, the shortages are being made worse by the number of Irish teachers who opt to go abroad after receiving their degrees.
This week also sees the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) annual conference.
They are “vehemently opposing” proposals to modify the current Leaving Cert model at a meeting of the union’s members taking place in Wexford.
If the modifications are approved, fifth-year students would take English and Irish Paper One.
Members of ASTI unanimously approved a proposal at the conference urging for the plans to be abandoned.
The conferences are scheduled to feature speeches by Ministers of Education Norma Foley and Simon Harris, Minister of Higher Education.