Madam, – Your Editorial of March 10th about the report on education and training by the National Competitiveness Council highlights the criticism that “teacher associations are primarily focused on industrial relations matters rather than being formal professional bodies”. Given that the report was so positive about the role of education in leading us out of the recession, this is regrettable.
It might have been more appropriate and balanced to have noted the report’s statement that “in Ireland, strong educational outcomes have been achieved with relatively modest public financial resources. . .The commitment and skills of our educators and the support of parents, students and wider society have made those strong outcomes possible.”
By definition, trade unions focus on industrial relations. The ASTI is a registered trade union and thus its function is to regulate the relations between employees and employers. However, in performing this function, it is clearly in the interests of the ASTI to foster the professionality of teachers in order to deliver a high quality service to the community.
Of course, we are vitally concerned with the terms and conditions of employment of our members but, in order to protect and enhance those very conditions, we are also vitally interested in ensuring high standards and quality service. The relationship between those two purposes is not either/or: they are mutually dependent. Indeed, our rules require us to devote a full afternoon, open to the public, to education topics at our annual conference each year.
Furthermore, the ASTI and the other teacher unions were to the forefront in seeking the establishment of a Teaching Council, whose primary purpose is the promotion of teaching as a profession, the professional development of teachers and the maintenance of the quality of teaching. As Don Thornhill, chairman of the National Competitiveness Council, states: “Many countries envy the quality of our teachers”. We also share his view that much can be done to improve the effectiveness of this talented group of people. Subjecting them to misinformed criticism over their pensions, as is the norm in certain circles nowadays, will not help. – Yours, etc,