ASTI slams 'rushed' Leaving Certificate changes

Rushed changes to the Leaving Certificate from September will widen inequalities and damage education.

That’s according to newly appointed president of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI), Padraig Curley.

“Sweeping changes to the Leaving Cert are coming this September, despite major concerns about the use of AI in Leaving Cert Additional Assessment Components (AACs), the widening of inequalities amongst students, and a lack of adequate training for teachers,” said Mr Curley.

Nine new and revised Leaving Cert subject specifications will be introduced in September. Each new/revised subject will have an AAC worth 40% of students’ final grade in the Leaving Cert. Government-commissioned research into the impact of AI on the new AACs has yet to be published.

Mr Curley said that despite the major concerns of teachers and others, the Minister for Education and Youth, Helen McEntee TD, has chosen to fast-track implementation of the Senior Cycle Redevelopment programme.

“Last May, almost 20,000 ASTI members voted down a proposed package of support measures because they failed to address teachers’ most significant concerns,” said Mr Curley.

Following the ASTI ballot in May, the union invoked the dispute resolution mechanisms set out in the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026, to which the ASTI is party.

Mr Curley continued: “The ASTI’s priority is to enter a viable process which allows for teachers’ real and valid concerns to be voiced and addressed. We call on Minister McEntee to do everything in her power to ensure that this happens in a timely manner.

“Classroom teachers will be left grappling with the unknown this September.

“In addition, many teachers of biology, chemistry, and physics face implementing new subject specifications in the absence of the necessary lab space, equipment, and training for teachers.

“This is a recipe for high stress for both students and their teachers,” added Mr Curley.