Teachers' Unions Gather for Annual Conferences

0:00On April 6th, Teachers' Unions in Ireland are firing up their annual conferences this week. The Irish National Teachers Organization for Primary Schools kicks off its three-day Congress in Calarney this afternoon. Meanwhile, the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland starts tomorrow in Wexford, and the Teachers' Union of Ireland begins in Kilkenny, both, running through Thursday. Education Minister Hildegard Nahn heads to Kilarney tomorrow morning to speak to primary teachers. She plans to highlight three big focuses for the year ahead, boosting teacher professional development, keeping educators zeroed in on classroom, teaching, and revamping special education for better inclusion. The Minister will also tackle workplace injuries, noting that 200 primary teachers got hurt on the job in 2023 and 20. 24. Unions see this as a major strain, and delegates are pushing motions for solid compensation and proper assault leave schemes. Here at the Teachers' Union of Ireland event, not-and-and-further Education Minister James

1:00Lawless speak on Wednesday. That group covers post-primary and higher-ed teachers. Former President Michael D. Higgins drops in on the primary crowd the same day. With wage talks for a new national agreement starting soon, pay hikes top the list alongside cost-of-living squeezes, heavy workloads, and second-level headaches like leaving cert subject changes and student assessments, eyes are on what shakes out from these gatherings.