A dramatic increase in applications from teachers who want to job-share next year is expected after the introduction this week of a permanent scheme for all second-level schools. For the first time post-of-responsibility allowances to teachers will not be lost if job-sharing is taken up. Also job-sharing teachers who are eligible for promotion will get credit for the entire period of service, rather than 50 per cent - making them as eligible as full-time teachers.

At the moment, 522 teachers are job-sharing in the voluntary, secondary, community and comprehensive sectors. Declan Glynn, assistant general secretary of the TUI, "heartily welcomes the introduction of the scheme on a permanent basis." Negotiations with the Department of Education and Science, the TUI, the ASTI and the managerial bodies have been ongoing for the past two years.

He welcomes the fact that the managerial authorities are "urged" in the Department's circular "to consider favourably applications for the scheme."

The scheme will be introduced on a permanent basis for the 1998/1999 academic year. Glynn says that specifically the "retention by assistant principal teachers of their posts of responsibility on the basis of teaching nine hours a week" will be welcomed because "they are being allowed the facility to fulfil their post's duties."

The fact that all permanent whole-time teachers with the exception of holders of posts of principal, deputy principal and home/school liaison teacher are eligible to participate in the scheme will be viewed by teachers as a major achievement.

Up to now the temporary job-share scheme was available only to teachers prepared to give up post of responsibility allowances. And, for those who were thinking of promotion, the temporary scheme meant that just 50 per cent of the time, rather then the entire period of service, was taken into account when calculating service entitlements with regard to promotional issues.

A former TUI survey of the temporary scheme found that job-sharing was "a valuable option" and "in a significant number of cases" led to reduced stress, better opportunities to pursue additional qualifications, increased involvement in extra-curricular activities, more time for class preparation, corrections and test-setting and "fulfilment of personal and school responsibilities in a more energetic manner."