SCHOOL’S OUT!
Industrial action sees some schools close for a third day
EIGHT secondary schools in north Wicklow are expected to remain closed today ( Wednesday) due to industrial action – six of those for a third consecutive day.
Thousands of students did not return to school on Monday after their mid-term break after ASTI instructed its members not to provide supervision or substitution from Monday. A number of schools said that they were forced to close as they could not vouch for the health and safety of their pupils. Without a resolution to the issue, pupils have been told not to come to school indefinitely. Tuesday was a full strike day, held in connection with pay restoration for newly qualified teachers.
JUST four out of 10 secondary schools remained open in north Wicklow last Monday, and two on Tuesday, as industrial action left hundreds of students at home.
The union ASTI instructed teachers not to provide supervision or substitution from Monday. A number of school boards said that they were forced to close as they could not vouch for the health and safety of their pupils.
Without the matter resolved, pupils have been told not to come to school indefinitely.
Tuesday was a full strike day, held in connection with pay restoration for newly qualified teachers.
Colaiste Chraobh Abhann in Kilcoole was unaffected by either matter as there are no ASTI teachers on staff, with North Wicklow Educate Together in a similar position.
While Temple Carrig in Greystones closed on Tuesday, it was in a position to open on Monday and will do so again today and on any other non-strike days. Similarly, St Gerard’s was open to pupils in relation to the supervision and substition issue, however the teachers were on strike yesterday.
Otherwise, Presentation College, Bray; Loreto, Bray; St Kilian’s, Bray; St David’s, Greystones; Woodbrook College, Bray and Colaiste Raithín, Bray, all contacted parents to tell them not to send children to school from Monday.
Principal of Temple Carrig, Alan Cox, said that students will not suffer as a result of industrial action.
‘No teacher is going to see their students stuck for the state exams,’ he said. ‘I’ve no doubt teachers will be working extremely hard behind the scenes once this dispute is resolved to catch people up in time for the exams.
‘ The strikes are undoubtedly a nuisance for parents and families, but if students are prepared to do a bit of study on their own during the days they’re not in school, there’s no reason to panic – their teachers will make sure they’ll still be perfectly well prepared for project deadlines and exams in the months ahead.’
Temple Carrig was open on Monday despite the withdrawal of supervision and substitution, however, it closed for the strike day on Tuesday.
‘We do have ASTI teachers so that when there’s an actual strike we simply can’t open,’ said Mr Cox.
‘However, we’re fortunate that we run a very large extra-curricular programme so we have quite a few ancillary sports and music staff who are already vetted and who can fulfil the supervision and substitution roles in response to ASTI members withdrawing from these duties. A contingency plan has been put in place and I’m satisfied that the health and safety of our students and staff has not been compromised.’
He said that no principal would want to close their school and would only do so as a last resort.
‘We just happened to be fortunate that we have this extra cohort of ancillary teachers who can staff the S&S [supervision and substition] system, but it doesn’t mean that we have a different stance or ethical position to any of our other sister schools in the area,’ he said.
In a letter to parents, Loreto’s board of management said that even with the full cooperation of ASTI, it would take up to six weeks to prepare supervisory staff to step in for teachers.
‘As you are aware, the ASTI has directed its members to withdraw from supervision and substitution duties with effect from November 7,’ read the letter.
‘ The effect of the directive is that ASTI members, including most principals and deputy principals, will not be available to carry out essential supervision duties before school commences in the morning, during break times, at lunchtime and at the end of the school day.
‘In addition, ASTI members will not be available to substitute for colleagues absent on school business such as extra-curricular activities and for colleagues absent on uncertified sick leave.’
The letter said that due to this action, the Board of Management will not be in a position to ensure the safety of the pupils in its care from that date. The JMB, management body for Loreto, has engaged with the Department of Education and Skills to put in place an alternative supervision and substitution arrangement as a contingency for the period of the industrial action.
While the ASTI has indicated to the department that it would not impede any contingency arrangement for supervision and substitution that would be put in place, it has not, however, given an undertaking that its members would fully cooperate with contingency arrangements.
The ASTI has directed its members not to involve themselves in the rostering or management of supervisors employed for the purpose of a contingency arrangement, meaning that contingency arrangements cannot currently be implemented as the vast ma-
jority of principals and staff are ASTI members.
‘Even if there were to be full cooperation by the ASTI with a contingency plan, the deadline of November 7 is unrealistic as it does not allow sufficient time to put supervisors in place,’ read the letter to parents.
‘In the interests of the health, safety and welfare of the students in our school, sufficient competent personnel would have to be recruited using a formal interview process.
In the interests of child protection, the selected people would be vetted in compliance with the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 and would need to participate in training and induction to prepare them for their roles. The likely timeframe for this process is not less than six weeks.
‘While the Board of Management wishes to keep the school open it is not, regrettably, possible to reopen the school after mid-term break until appropriate health and safety and child protection provisions can be established.’