Junior Cert students taught by ASTI members could lose 10% of their English grade because of a dispute with the Department of Education. 

The ASTI and the Department are in a dispute over Junior Cert reforms. 

Minister Richard Bruton this morning told the Oireachtas Education Committee that he could not guarantee students wouldn not be punished, if their teachers refuse to correct the continuous assessment portion of the English course. 

Minister Richard Bruton says students’ grades could be negatively impacted if their teachers choose not to co-operate with continuous assessments: “The ASTI have not participated in the new role out of the new junior cert English and I think that is extremely unfortunate.

“We are very keen to see the ASTI come onboard, so student wouldn’t be put at risk of the 10% marks, but I can’t guarantee that.”