MEMBERS' BALLOT:DELEGATES AT the ASTI annual convention yesterday voted unanimously in favour of a motion seeking the reinstatement of all posts of responsibility in schools and the immediate lifting of the moratorium on filling such jobs.
Mick Evans (Cork South) criticised the Government’s “reckless, dangerous and irresponsible strategy”, claiming that it did not understand the importance of posts of responsibility in schools.
“They want students to be safe, and yet they take away the year head posts,” Mr Evans said.
The moratorium includes a ban on the filling of special duties and assistant principal positions in schools.
Noel Buckley (Tipperary) told delegates how his school had lost five posts of responsibility through retirement, while other schools in the same area had lost none. “They won’t have to deal with that cycle of retirement for another five or 10 years,” he said.
Delegates were urged not to take on responsibilities that were now left unfilled.
“The problem is not our directive,” Greta Harrison told the delegates. “The problem is the moratorium. All posts must be returned, with no half measures,” she said.
Seán O’Neill told delegates that if the moratorium remained in place, schools would be “ungovernable and unworkable next year”. He warned of the pressure put on non-permanent staff members to take on extra work.
Although Minister for Education and Skills Mary Coughlan has indicated that the moratorium on recruitment was likely to be relaxed, delegate John O’Donovan insisted that any concessions made would not be adequate.
Yesterday evening, ASTI president Joe Moran welcomed assurances from Ms Coughlan that the matter was under review.
He said that large schools of more than 500 students could not function effectively without year heads, programme co-ordinators or exam secretaries. A motion to resist any further reduction in the provision of teachers and resources to students with special needs was also passed unanimously yesterday.
Delegates were told of mounting evidence that students with special needs were leaving mainstream schools and seeking places in special schools.
“Some of the students who come are so far behind that it’s very difficult for them to catch up,” Mary Ohle said. She said without the proper supports, it would be necessary to review the idea that mainstreaming children with special needs was the best option for them.