Teachers’ unions are coming under pressure from school principals to rethink their opposition to junior-cycle reforms a week ahead of planned strike action.

A number of secondary-school principals have challenged the ASTI and TUI to justify their dispute, saying teachers cannot continue “to prop up a system that does such injustice to student learning and engagement”. Three of them have written an article for the Education supplement in today’s Irish Times, explaining why they back the reform plan.

The criticism comes amid disquiet within the unions about their negotiating strategy. Questions are being raised about whether union leaders have gone beyond members’ wishes in opposing all forms of school-based assessment. Both unions say their strike mandate is unambiguous, even though balloting took place before Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan announced a compromise plan that would see teachers assessing only 40 per cent of Junior Cert marks, rather than 100 per cent. TUI president Gerry Quinn said “we are confident we have our finger on the pulse” of teacher opinion.

Debate ‘hijacked’