Up to 500 students at St Gerald's College in Castlebar, Co Mayo, left their classrooms yesterday morning to protest outside the school gates over the ongoing dispute by ASTI teachers.
Non-exam classes at the 620-pupil college were sent home from school on Tuesday when seven members of the teaching staff were absent. The students were told that there was insufficient staff available.
An emergency meeting of the school's board of management was called on Tuesday night. Afterwards, school principal Mr Bernard Keely said the school would reopen to all students from yesterday. The board had sought immediate additional people under the Department's contingency plan.
However, students abandoned their classes yesterday to protest outside the school to highlight to the Minister for Education that student education was suffering.
"In 12 weeks' time I face my Junior Cert exams. This dispute affected us last year as well," said Junior Cert student Sean Hughes.
"It's going on too long and we all believe that our education is being affected. There's up to 500 students protesting here today, because we're all fed up."
At lunchtime yesterday, Mr Keely said that most of the students were in class.
"About 150 transition- and second-year students are still protesting at the gate. We are encouraging them to come back into class. There is no need for their action as classes are running as normal today."
Meanwhile, non-exam pupils from Bailieborough Community School in Cavan are facing their second day off today, following yesterday's decision to curtail classes. About 350 pupils were sent home yesterday due to staffing difficulties, but pupils in the two exam years remained.
The principal, Ms Valerie McCormick, and the chairman of the board of management made the decision following concerns about health and safety. Ms McCormick said she had advised parents of a curtailment of classes "with immediate effect".
She said the disruption was not caused by a lack of teachers. Asked if there was a lack of new supervisors, she said: "There was not enough staff in general."
"In my professional judgment, it was necessary to reduce the numbers of students present in the school to ensure the health and safety of all," Ms McCormick said. The school has about 600 students.
"Priority has been given to students sitting public examinations in June," the principal said.
The school's board of management is meeting tonight to decide if the school will be in a position to open to all students tomorrow.