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Two teachers unions have announced that a second one day strike will be staged in January in protest at changes to the Junior Cycle. Leah Farrell/Photocall Ireland

Teachers to protest outside school gates today against Junior Cert reforms

Only a nominal number of teachers have taken up the new teacher training.

TEACHERS WILL BE holding a lunchtime protest today against the Junior Cycle reforms due to be introduced this September.

Twenty seven thousand secondary teachers will take part in the demonstration outside schools across the country.

Classes will go on and it won’t impact on students.

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan said that the initial changes will be implemented in September with the subject English.

Training snub

However, she revealed only a small percentage of teachers have completed the new training.

“Only a small number have gone to the training. A lot of them haven’t.”

She said the training has been offered to all teachers and it is also available online. O’Sullivan said she was very concerned the unions could be preventing teachers from improving their teaching.

“It is disappointing we still have action being taken by the unions instead of coming back to the table…We are not going to solve it outside the school gates, we’re going to solve it around a table.

Moving forward 

The minister said independent compromised proposals were but forward by Dr Pauric Travers and she urged teachers to engage so “we can all move forward”.

“I have moved considerably, but I need some movement from the other side.”

She said that one group can not veto the reforms.

The General Secretary of the ASTI, Pat King told 98FM that students are entitled to an independent evaluation of their work.

He maintained that students should be assessed externally to protect standards, equity and quality.

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    Mute Ciarán FitzGerald
    Favourite Ciarán FitzGerald
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    May 28th 2021, 2:53 PM

    RIP to the two young people who’s lives were tragically taken.

    182
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    Mute Daniel Murray
    Favourite Daniel Murray
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    May 28th 2021, 6:36 PM

    I taught Jack science in Cottenham Village College and he was the nicest kid, hugely popular and wise beyond his years. There was only 650 in the main school and everyone knew everyone in the town. In my very first week I remember giving out merits on SIMs to three lads, one of which was Jack and smiling when I saw his second name. I still see him in my head as a 15 year old with a funny haircut and a big smile. God his poor family and friends.

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    Mute Larry Rawson
    Favourite Larry Rawson
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    May 28th 2021, 5:08 PM

    Time and Time again Experts are afraid of the Racist Card being used when they Highlight a Problem Citizen in their Midst…Do you think for ine moment if it was the other way round in Asian Countries They would Give a Fiddle What you Looked Like.

    89
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    Mute Podge
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    May 29th 2021, 8:44 AM

    @Larry Rawson: political correctness kills and damages:
    Failure to investigate grooming gangs for fear of being called racist.
    Manchester arena security guard was suspicious of the bomber but did nothing out of fear of being called racist.
    Stop and search scrapped for disproportionately targeting certain groups despite the fact that it saves minority lives.
    Political correctness needs to be shown the door so we can speak freely and solve problems.

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    Mute Michael Byrne
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    May 28th 2021, 3:19 PM

    Low Down Coward

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    Mute Darren Callaghan
    Favourite Darren Callaghan
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    May 28th 2021, 3:08 PM

    Sounds as though the 8 years in prison made him even more radicalised given they say there was radical bullying going on, been allowed around other terrorist offenders seems a very stupid recipe for disaster and needs to be remidied as well, rip to the two victims and hope the others injured are doing okay

    79
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    Mute John Mc Donagh
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    May 28th 2021, 11:25 PM

    @Darren Callaghan: I know that it’s not P.C. to say this and there will be lots of the politically correct brigade on my tail but he should have been topped by the authorities much earlier—-He was never going to be any use to society!

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    Mute Alan McArdle
    Favourite Alan McArdle
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    May 28th 2021, 11:30 PM

    @Darren Callaghan: it’s a disgusting act against two seemingly thoroughly decent people but this is not the first incident where an previously-incarcerated individual has been flagged by State authorities as a potential threat. Serious questions should be at their door.

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    Mute Dan Skelton
    Favourite Dan Skelton
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    May 29th 2021, 2:25 PM

    Unlawfully killed?? As opposed to what, lawfully killed by a terrorist? They were outright murdered in cold blood.

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