Educational reform must start with the provision of adequate school buildings and modern educational facilities and resources, according to the ASTI General Secretary, Mr Charlie Lennon.
Delivering his keynote address at the ASTI Annual Convention in Limerick today, Mr Lennon said it was wholly unacceptable at the beginning of the 21st Century that students are learning and teachers teaching in damp dangerous school buildings with unsanitary toilet facilities.
"Because second level schools may be in competition with other schools in the locality, they are often reluctant to campaign publicly about the state of their schools," he said.
Mr Lennon also warned the Minister for Education and Science, Mr Dempsey, against insisting on the introduction of the new Junior Certificate Science Syllabus when many second level schools do not have the facilities required to teach the course.
Mr Dempsey needs to persuade the Government to make the investment necessary for the immediate provision of appropriate science facilities so that this much-needed new syllabus can be successfully introduced in September, Mr Lennon insisted.
"If the Minister...wishes to bring about welcome reforms of the education system which will benefit students, parents and teachers, then he must focus on providing proper schools with modern educational facilities and resources", he concluded.
More than 450 teachers from all over the country are attending the ASTI Annual Convention.