A cessation of hostilities has still to be formally declared but parents can relax - ASTI's war of attrition is all but over.

The final phase was played out at the recent convention when delegates voted for something new - to allow ordinary members to decide on issues like supervision and the new syllabuses!

Some in ASTI say it is the end of the road for the hard-liners who have set the agenda for the past three years. The convention saw many first-time delegates adopt a much softer line. The hard-liners who booed and heckled the leadership appeared very marginalised, according to TP's sources.

Meanwhile, that individual who made a Nazi sign in the direction of the leadership will not face any disciplinary action. Apparently, ASTI president PJ Sheehy is anxious to move on.

Sheehy can afford to rest on his laurels. Despite barbs from the hard-liners, he handled the convention with great skill. Sheehy, general secretary, Charlie Lennon and deputy general secretary, John White are the powerbrokers in the ASTI. The hard-liners have been routed - for now.

Whatever about the race for top slot at UCD, the academics at DIT are also bracing themselves for a dog fight.

Current head Brendan Goldsmith is bowing out next year and several contenders are looking to replace him. One of these is Dr Ellen Hazelcorn, the current boss of the applied arts department. She is a close confidante of Goldsmith and has pledged to carry on his good work. However, she will be fought tooth and nail by tough union types who run the show down at Aungier St, Kevin St, Cathal Brugha St etc etc...

TP must apologise to the State's principals for not attending their conference in Killarney, but she/he/it was busy working at the coalface of this great newspaper. Did we miss anything? Yes if you think principals criticising school league tables is a novel event. The NAPD has great potential, with impressive figures like Mary McGlynn and Sean Ashe, but trouble is, it is beginning to sound more and more like the teaching unions. Isn't it time it marked out its own territory?

Educationalists must be amused by the brave resignation of Estelle Morris, British education secretary. Her crime? Failing to achieve progress on Britain's literacy levels. If this was the criteria, how many of our Ministers would survive? A reminder: 25 per cent of our adult population are functionally illiterate, according to the most recent international survey. What a disgrace, what a scandal.

Got any education gossip? You can e-mail us in confidence at teacherspet@irish-times.ie