‘Don’t rush’ senior cycle changes
Second-level teachers across Cork held protests outside their schools this week calling for a delay in the implementation of a programme that will bring significant changes to the senior cycle.
Teachers believe changes included in the Senior Cycle Redevelopment Programme risk undermining both educational standards and fairness for Leaving Certificate students.
The protests, organised by teacher unions the ASTI and the TUI, took place on Tuesday and were part of a nationwide campaign involving over 30,000 second-level teachers.
Teachers’ concerns include a lack of adequate facilities and resources for schools, which they believe will lead to inequities when revised Leaving Cert subjects are introduced from September 2025.
ASTI Standing Committee representative, Siobhán O’Donovan, a teacher at Patrician Academy, Mallow, said changes to the senior cycle must not be “rushed through” and must be educationally sound and fair to students.
She said: “We are committed to curriculum change which promotes equality, enhances students’ education, and protects education standards. We are very concerned by the decision to accelerate senior cycle redevelopment; a process that involves significant change, including changes to the Leaving Cert.”
The TUI said teachers are not opposed to the redevelopment of the senior cycle but that for successful implementation of changes, a number of crucial requirements must be met, including the provision of comprehensive and fully informed in-service training to all teachers well in advance of implementation.
TUI President, David Waters, said: “There is far too much at stake for this not to be done properly.”
ASTI President, Donal Cremin added: “Change of such significance cannot be rushed into an already overburdened system.”
The unions clarified that they are not calling for the postponement of the new pilot subjects drama, film, and theatre studies, and climate action and sustainable development which are being rolled out from next September.
Responding to the protests, a spokesperson for the Department of Education said students, parents, teachers, and school leaders have been calling for changes to the senior cycle curriculum for many years.
The spokesperson said: “Teachers are the backbone of Ireland’s education system and we take their concerns seriously.”
They added: “Extensive research and consultations with students and education stakeholders support the need for more continuous assessment and to move away from the high-pressure Leaving Certificate exam, where many feel students’ performance is judged on just ‘one day in June’.”
To support these changes, €30 million has been allocated in Budget 2025 for curriculum reforms including senior cycle redevelopment.
The spokesperson continued: “Teacher training is well underway - about 11,000 teachers have had training since the beginning of the school year, including over 1,000 science teachers. Training will continue to ensure teachers are ready for these changes.”