Clare’s ASTI representative is warning that the recruitment and retention crisis must be addressed immediately, before teacher shortages become unmanageable.
The three main teaching unions are gathering again today for their respective annual conferences, with pay and teacher shortages dominating discussions.
Pay is high on the agenda at today’s conferences, with the three unions claiming teachers’ salaries are inadequate during the cost of living crisis.
The current public pay agreement is due to expire at the end of year and Education Minister Norma Foley is being urged to increase salaries in line with inflation.
Clare’s ASTI representative says teachers are leaving the profession in their droves to take up jobs abroad or in other professions.
Geraldine O’Brien says the shortage of qualified teachers is leading to subjects being dropped in secondary schools and teachers being moved from special needs to mainstream classes as an emergency measure.
The Kilkee-based teacher fears that if the recruitment and retention crisis isn’t addressed urgently, the situation will become unmanageable.
Primary schools in Clare, meanwhile, have managed to stave off what would be a “dire crisis” through relying on measures such as retired teachers coming back to assist or student teachers stepping in.
The INTO is pushing for lower class sizes, but the union’s Clare’s representative says that must be married with other schemes, such as the greater intake of students to training colleges.
Brendan Horan says teachers are living day-to-day on account of issues surrounding housing and childcare and he believes if this isn’t addressed, there will be long term consequences for the profession.
You can listen to interview below.
