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The ongoing bickering between unions and the Government is no help to the thousands of young people with special needs who are regressing as schools remain closed.
The Government yesterday performed a dramatic U-turn on its plans to allow in-person special needs education to continue while the majority students learn from home.
The decision was announced after the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) directed its members not to cooperate with the Government plans for special needs students and Leaving Cert classes.
Government officials have today been meeting with unions and stakeholders to try and find a way through the impasse.
The ASTI had instructed its members not to cooperate with government plans to reopen schools for in-person teaching for Leaving Cert students next Monday,
The union says it will only engage in remote teaching from next Monday and has said the decision is based on concerns around health and safety.
This follows an emergency meeting of the ASTI today to discuss plans to reopen schools on Monday with Leaving cert students expected to be in classes for three days every week.
Speaking after the meeting, ASTI President Ann Piggott said: “The ASTI has repeatedly sought sufficient assurances that schools are safe for students and teachers at this time, in the context of the new variant of Covid-19 circulating in the community and the alarmingly high numbers.
ASTI tells members not to cooperate with plan to reopen schools for Leaving Cert students independent.ie - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from independent.ie Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
BREAKING Teachers union throws Government Covid-19 plan for Leaving Cert into disarray
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Teachers who are members of the main secondary school trade union have been directed not to co-operate with the Government s plan for the partial reopening of schools to facilitate Leaving Certs on a three day week.
Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) has directed its members said in a statement. The ASTI Standing Committee met this evening to discuss the announcement by the Minister for Education Norma Foley that special schools, special classes and specialised settings will be fully open from Monday 11 January and that Leaving Certificate students will receive in-school teaching provision for three days each week with all other students to be supported to learn remotely.
Dublin s Q102 By Hazel Nolan The ASTI says the decision is based on significant concerns about the health and safety of students, teachers and other staff.
The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland has directed it s members not to engage with government plans for in-school teaching from next Monday.
In a statement this evening the Union says it was not consulted before yesterday s announcement.
Their statement reads: The ASTI has not been provided with the necessary assurances that schools are sufficiently safe for students and teachers at this time, in the context of the new variant of Covid-19 circulating in the community and the alarmingly high numbers.