PRINCIPALS AND teachers in secondary schools are growing increasingly concerned about "curriculum overload", which is occuring, they say, because of the increasing number of new courses.

New subjects, such as civic, social and political education - an exam subject - and the relationships and sexuality education programme, are putting increasing pressure on school timetables and teachers' time.

Many teachers and principals agree that these new subjects should be included in the curriculum, but they are worried about finding a slot for them.

The concept of curriculum overload "is an issue that is arising at almost every meeting with any group of teachers," says John White, assistant general secretary of the ASTI.

For example, White says, the question was formally raised as an issue of concern at a meeting of the union's principals advisory committee during December.

This reflects a growing concern among teachers about the burden, he says.

"The problem then is assigning teachers to take those new subjects, and also finding space in the timetable for them," White explains. Inevitably, the issue of what to leave out arises, he says. "Do you curtail a little bit of maths or Irish?"

Some schools, he says, are considering shortening class periods, so that a school day would consist of nine rather than eight classes.

Within a context, White says, "of very desirable curriculum change, there has never been an overall attempt to fit everything into a framework".

White expresses the hope that the NCCA, which has set up a committee to review the operation of the junior cycle framework and make recommendations to the Department on the core curriculum, will address this matter.

"We have to arrive at recommendations which don't put additional pressures on schools," White says.