Students are the ‘innocent pawns’ in the dispute between the teacher unions and the Government over Junior Cert reform, according to the National Parents Council Post Primary.

Don Myers, Council President said “This second day of action by the unions is most unfair on all students. But it is particularly tough on the 60,000 young people who are planning to take the most important exam of their lives – the Leaving Certificate - in June. They have already done the Junior Cert and the reforms will have no impact on them. Yet they are caught up in this action while they are trying to prepare for the Leaving Certificate which will help determine their future courses of study and their careers. I think it is absolutely outrageous that the unions are now threatening a third day of strike action which could damage their prospects” he said.

Mr Myers added that very serious questions would have to be asked if the unions went ahead with the threat of further action. “Would that force us into a situation where the State Examinations Commission would have to postpone or delay the start of the Leaving and Junior Certificate exams?”

He said it was very disappointing that the most recent attempts to resolve the dispute failed. “But that does not justify the unnecessary strike action which is creating a very disruptive environment for students preparing for their mocks and oral exams”.

The action is also causing serious problems for many hard pressed working parents who have to sacrifice another day’s pay to ensure their children are looked after when they are not in school. “The role of parents in all this is being overlooked. We are the primary educators of our children as is recognised in the constitution. We should be involved in talks on what our children are learning in school but we are excluded from those talks and not being treated as equal partners in education” he added.

For further details contact: Don Myers on 087 2593168