INTO hears State has ‘abdicated responsibility to religious organisations for too long’
INTO delegates instructed the union to carry out a survey of primary teachers on whether faith formation should continue to take place in primary schools, and if primary schools should have secular or religious patrons. Photograph: Moya NolanPrimary teachers have called for the removal of the Catholic religious certificate which is required to teach in most national schools.
Tomás O’Reilly, a teacher in a Catholic school in Co Roscommon, said he was easily accepted in most Irish schools because he is a heterosexual Catholic male, but many of his colleagues did not have the same experience. “Is the status quo acceptable?” he said. “As a trade unionist and teacher we want to look after everyone equally, even if it does not affect me as much as others.
Teachers at the conference also criticised the Department of Education for not planning for an adequate supply of teachers for primary and special schools.
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