Everybody has known for the last number of months that Leaving Cert changes were coming. You could sense it in the media, there were calls from various politicians and orieachtas committees were held in education and leaving cert reform in particular. And of course the rumors of the infamous document containing these changes sitting on the minister's desk.

However, it all did seem a bit sudden this week when changes were announced in the media frenzy and despite claims of intimate consultation with all "stakeholders", many were very, very surprised by some of the new changes.

Tonight, we go inside our schools to discuss these changes.

I am joined by

Peter Lydon, a geography teacher who holds an MA in geography and an MSc in e-learning. Peter also works as an education tutor with the University of East London and with DCU. Peter is also co-author of Real World Geography, Second edition, published by Folens.

Jennifer Horgan, a teacher of English and ethics. Many of you may know Jennifer through her education column in the Irish Examiner, she also writes for the Irish times, Jennifer has written a book titled 'Oh, Captain, My captain - One teacher's called for change in the Irish education system', available now through Orpen press.

Kate Barry, an English teacher, a well-known blogger and writer on education issues. Kate has also recently started her own podcast in collaboration with UCC and 98.3 FM titled 'Beyond the classroom'.

Mark Walshe, a Modern Foreign Language and a Computer Science teacher. Mark is a subject rep for both of these on the NCCA. Mark is well known in teacher trade union circles, and is in fact running for the vice-president of the ASTI in two weeks time at their convention down in Cork. So we wish him all the very best of luck there.

So as you can see, judging by the caliber of our guests, I am very much going to feel like a bit of an imposter in this conversation tonight. So I'm really looking forward to hearing what they have to say.

Enjoy.

In this episode we go inside our schools and examine the crisis of teacher retention and supply in Ireland. Recently COVID has brought the shortage of teachers to the forefront, making headlines, as a lack of available cover wreaks havoc in schools. We have examples of schools not being able to cover absent teachers and classes being sent home as a result.

We have principals of schools taking to social media, believe it or not, to find teachers willing or able to substitute and shockingly special education teachers being removed from the very students who need them the most in order to keep everything afloat.

But of course, this is not a surprise, as teachers and especially those involved in the trade unions will know, this has been coming for a long time and they'd been warning about this for years.

Enough has been highlighted recently in the media and social media about this shortage, so in this episode we focus on the real reasons for the shortage of teachers in Ireland at the moment.

in this episode I am joined by:

Noelle Moran, a secondary school teacher of Gaeilge and Accounting. Noelle was a member of the ASTI standing committee for many years. And I personally witnessed some of her very, very valuable contributions in standing up for teachers. And Noelle is also a teacher representative on the Teaching Council.

I'm also joined by:

Seamus O'Connor, a primary school teacher, and principal. Seamus is a member of the INTO a member of the National Principal's Forum. And he was one of the founding members and activists of the Voice for Teachers Facebook page. And he, he too has also been a teacher representative on the teaching council.

Just a reminder once again that all our contributors are speaking in a personal capacity.

Is the leaving cert really still fit for purpose?

This is the question we explore tonight, when we go inside our schools.

With the Oireachtas Education Committee meeting the various management bodies and teacher trade unions over the last number of weeks, coupled with recent calls from senators, TD celebrities, and journalists, Now more than ever, there seems to be a move towards Leaving Cert Reform.

In tonight's episode, I am joined by two of our resident guests,

Mark Walshe, a computer science and modern foreign languages teacher

and

Robert Chaney, a teacher of mathematics.

We discuss the calls for reform the reasons given for the need for such reform. And we ask the question, Is the leaving cert curriculum, really the correct target here? Or is it something else entirely? Such as the inequality in our society, the chronic underfunding of education and the pressure that is created by the CAO points race?