The refusal of secondary school teachers to implement the new science syllabus would be a "dangerous precedent" for the future of benchmarking, ICT Ireland director Mr Brendan Butler has said.
ICT Ireland represents the technology sector within the employers' body IBEC.
Commenting on his statement yesterday that benchmarking payments should be withheld from members of the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI), Mr Butler said he believed a blanket ban on the new syllabus was not constructive.
ASTI has issued a directive to its members telling them not to teach the new science syllabus until school laboratories have been brought up to date. It has also requested the help of laboratory technicians in schools.
Mr Butler said yesterday the ASTI directive was a clear breach of the spirit and intent behind benchmarking The new Junior Certificate course was a central plank in the effort to revive student interest in science, he said.
The ICT Ireland director told ireland.comthis morning the ASTI had issued its directive without any regard for the fact that some schools' laboratories were well equipped.
He said the teachers' body could have allowed its members to commence teaching the syllabus, while at the same time making representations to the Government for funding to improve laboratories that are sub-standard.
"This is a self-deafeating move," he said. "If the laboratories are that sub-standard and the deficiencies were not addressed over a period of time, then the syllabus would fail anyway."
The ASTI said Mr Butler appeared to have misinterpreted the Minister for Education and Science's proposal regarding the teaching of Junior Certificate science. It said the Minister had given secondary schools the option of teaching the current syllabus or the new syllabus.
ASTI was stating that members should take the option of teaching the current syllabus until all second level schools can introduce the new one in a "safe and coherent manner", the union said.