The ASTI was left isolated from the two other teacher unions after talks yesterday with the Minister for Education, Dr Woods, over the controversial supervision issue.
The ASTI said its withdrawal from supervision now looked certain to take place on Monday because there had been no real progress at the talks. "Nothing concrete has come out of today's meeting and there has been no real progress in relation to a new offer," said ASTI general secretary, Mr Charlie Lennon.
This gloomy view was not echoed by the TUI and INTO representatives who also attended the meeting. They said there had been significant advances and the situation was far more optimistic than earlier in the week.
It is understood Dr Woods told the meeting the Government had no objection to making its original offer to teachers of €34 per hour pensionable. He said a facilitation process would be set up to look at the overall amount on offer.
In contrast to the ASTI's reaction, the INTO general secretary designate, Mr John Carr, said "we are very satisfied with the outcome". He said the Government was saying it was prepared to make changes on the pensions issue.
The president of the TUI, Mr John McGabhann, said the two concessions meant "movement is now possible".
The ASTI's executive meets today in Limerick and there is expected to be heated exchanges on supervision and the performance of the union's leaders in recent weeks.
The withdrawal on Monday is unlikely to close many schools because most school managements have been able to recruit non-teachers to do the work. However the cost of the contingency plans continue to rise with school secretaries - represented by IMPACT - now looking for overtime for doing extra work associated with the plans.
While virtually all voluntary secondary schools are expected to open there has been some worry about schools in the VEC sector.
Mr Michael Moriarty, head of the Irish Vocational Education Association, which represents the VEC, said he was more optimistic now than earlier in the week.
"The VEC schools will be open on Monday, but the longer this goes on the more strain all schools will come under," he said.