The Teachers’ Union of Ireland said it is “extremely concerned” at reports today that it is instructing its members to “walk out” of classes above a certain size in the new academic year.
The union, which represents over 14,500 teachers in post-primary, higher and further education, has ordered members in almost 300 post primary schools not to teach classes that are above a certain size.
In a letter, it says deviations from the directive "will not be tolerated".
In a statement on its website, however, the TUI said it was extremely concerned at “sensationalist headlines” which it said portrayed its reissue of a 30-year-old policy on class sizes as being “an instruction to teachers to walk out of classes”.
“TUI has followed the guidelines of the Department of Education and Science in relation to class sizes and has each year advised teachers of these limits,” the union said.
“This is done for the protection of the education quality in the teacher’s own classroom. The Department of Education and Science has rightly issued guidelines for class sizes which have been in place for many years.
“TUI has followed those guidelines and has, through carefully worked out procedures, advised teachers on the implementation of these guidelines.”
It added that “at no time are teachers instructed to walk out of classes or to leave students unattended. This would be wrong, unprofessional and irresponsible”.
“The union is adopting a highly responsible course of action designed to protect the education quality for the students.”
It said that in a time of cutbacks, many teachers were going “beyond the normal call of duty”.
“However TUI members will not allow the educational standards in their individual classes to be compromised.”
Speaking on RTÉ radio this morning, the union’s general secretary Peter MacMenamin said the union policy was not new.
He said if procedures are not followed, students would be escorted to a safe place where they could be supervised by a principal or deputy principal.
Mr MacMenamin said class sizes under the instruction of the Department of Education and Science are 30 pupils for general subjects and 24 for practical classes.