One of the largest private grind schools in the State, Dublin's Institute of Education, has reported a 20 per cent increase in the number of students on its evening and weekend courses since the teachers' dispute began.
Mr Raymond Kearns, owner of the institute, told The Irish Times there had been a big increase in demand for classes since ASTI started its action in early November.
"Parents are very worried and wonder about their pupils falling behind and they have been ringing us in large numbers since the teachers' dispute began," he said.
He said in addition to the extra numbers on evening and weekend crash courses, there was also a 10 per cent increase in student numbers on its day Leaving Certificate course.
This course teaches pupils the ordinary Leaving Certificate syllabus, but tends to be more intensive than most courses in mainstream schools.
He said parents were still looking to get their child on the day course even though the school year is already more than three months old.
"We have to conduct in-depth interviews with the students transferring, but we have been taking people from schools where the strike has been going on."
The institute - based in Dublin's Leeson Street - now has almost 700 pupils on its day Leaving Certificate course. He said students did not fall behind the other pupils because there were in-depth notes available for those entering late. There was also a 20 per cent increase in the institute's Christmas revision course. "Parents are aware that the nine days lost so far are not the only disruption. The whole flow of study can be affected by this action," he said. He said this weekend's ASTI meeting was key to what many parents would do over the next few weeks.
He said if the meeting decided on further disruption, the numbers looking for grinds would probably rise again. The other major private college, Bruce College, has also reported a strong demand for its courses.
"Parents are very stressed out by all this and there is a great fear of the unknown," said Mr Kearns, a former teacher in several Dublin schools.
Teacher unions have been strongly opposed to grind schools for many years and many of the teachers there are not union members.
Despite the opposition, the sector has been growing strongly, particularly among middle-class families.
A survey last year by Student Enrichment Services found 73 per cent of Leaving Cert. pupils get some kind of grind during the year leading up to the exam. Girls in single-sex schools were the most inclined to avail of extra tuition, with 79 per cent taking a grind.
It also found that 49 per cent of Junior Cert. students got a grind in the year leading up to their exams.