The Minister for Education and Science, Mr Dempsey, has placed himself on a collision course with teachers' unions by deciding to press ahead with a new science syllabus for Junior Cert pupils in September.
The Minister intends to implement what has been called the "Ferrari" of science courses despite what teachers claim are primitive and unsafe conditions in 40 per cent of secondary school labs. The TUI warned last night that "we want the syllabus done properly and this is not the way to do it".
The Minister's latest move is despite concerns by the TUI and the ASTI that up-to-date science courses cannot be taught in the "appalling" conditions of school labs, some of which date back a generation or more. Some schools have no labs at all.
The Government has been under pressure to introduce the new course amid concerns from the high-tech sector about the alarming fall-off in students taking science subjects which are perceived as irrelevant and boring. The hope is that the updated course, which for the first time features practical investigations and experiments, will entice students into studying science.
Ireland is one of the few countries in the world with no practical component in its science courses. The new syllabus features 12 experiments per year.
The ASTI reacted with shock to the announcement: "The syllabus should not be introduced until the proper in-service teacher training, and the necessary laboratory equipment are put in place," said ASTI deputy general secretary, Mr John White.
The Department intends to meet teachers' unions and management bodies next week to discuss the matter. The Minister will issue a circular letter to post-primary schools in mid-May announcing the introduction of the revised syllabus.
A spokesperson for the Department said last night that the Minister was aware that some schools had insufficient equipment and materials to teach the new syllabus.
"There is at present a process in place within the Department to examine how schools can be suitably equipped to teach the new syllabus."
At the TUI congress in Ennis, members carried a motion directing the union to instruct members not to implement the new Junior Science syllabus until the recommendations of the task force on the physical sciences were fully implemented.
Mr John McGabhann of the TUI said last night that "we have made it abundantly clear that we absolutely want to have the science curriculum introduced, but introduced properly. To introduced it prematurely will damage the integrity of the new course, and will have the effect of turning off pupil's interest in science."
The TUI president, Mr Derek Dunne, has described pushing ahead with the course as like running a Ferrari without petrol and an engine.