John Downes
There was continued uncertainty last night over whether teachers will receive their full benchmarking payments after a meeting between Department of Education officials, school management representatives and teaching unions yesterday.
They met to discuss the question of parent-teacher meetings and the matter was adjourned until this morning.
The Department of Education had threatened to hold off on the proposed 10 per cent benchmarking pay increase, due to be paid later this month, unless the unions agreed to hold parent-teacher meetings at times which are more convenient for parents.
Last night, Department of Education and Science officials and trade union sources refused to comment on how the eight-hour meeting had progressed. However, it is believed the meeting could lead to an agreement between those involved.
Meanwhile, an umbrella group representing school management associations, some of whom were represented at yesterday's meeting, has said it believes parent-teacher meetings should be held outside of the school year.
Expressing concern at what it sees as a continuous reduction in class contact times with teachers, the group comprising the Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools (ACCS), the Joint Managerial Body (JMB) and the Irish Vocational Educational Association (IVEA), said complaints are frequently lodged by parents/guardians with local school management over the absence of teachers from schools.
School managements have been experiencing difficulties in securing suitably-qualified personnel to substitute for absent teachers. The group also believes students who have not completed programmes of study might engage in litigation with schools and the Department of Education and Science over the non-delivery of these programmes.
As a result, the group said it was calling for consistency in the planning of in-service training for teachers, as well as the negotiation by the Department of a new model to deliver parent-teacher meetings outside the school year.