Schools complain over lack of lab space, while high rents have added to the challenges of teaching.
A shortage of space and materials in schools and ambitious timelines will challenge the delivery of new Leaving Cert changes, according to a new report by key education officials.
The report, seen by the Sunday Independent, warned Education Minister Norma Foley that the rollout of two new subjects in 2025 “could threaten the viability of other existing subjects” in smaller schools, unless they are given more teachers.
Shortages of laboratory space and variations in the availability of science equipment at different schools is a risk for the rollout of new subjects in the coming years, it said.
The report by the Senior Cycle Redevelopment Programme Delivery Board, sent to Ms Foley in March, recommended enhancing school resources and speeding up the delivery of new guidelines for teachers ahead of the implementation of new subjects and assessments for pupils.
Similar issues have been the subject of clashes involving unions and education stakeholders in recent weeks over proposed changes to science subjects.
They also come as many schools are scrambling to recruit teachers or substitute cover ahead of a new school year.
Principals and boards of management say the cost of living, high rents and unattractive pay relative to other countries are factors in difficulties trying to recruit staff.
The Senior Cycle Redevelopment Programme Delivery Board was established last year to oversee and report to the minister on the progress made on ambitious Leaving Cert reform plans.
It made a number of recommendations around giving schools more teachers and equipment to deliver reforms efficiently.
The minister is keen to progress changes so students will depend less on end-of-year exams and be able to display skills through a continuous assessment model which will represent 40pc of their overall marks.
A minimum or recommended schedule of science equipment for schools should be established
As part of these reforms, there will be two new Leaving Cert subjects introduced on a phased basis starting in September 2025 — drama, film and theatre studies and climate action and sustainability.
Learn more
The delivery board told Ms Foley these “will require the allocation of specific additional teaching resources to schools” who have the capacity to take the new subjects on next year.
“This will be particularly important in smaller schools, where the introduction of the subjects could threaten the viability of other existing subjects in the absence of additional teaching resources,” the report said.
New courses for biology, chemistry and physics are due to be introduced at the same time, but teachers, academics and other key stakeholders have argued there is insufficient lab space and a shortage of equipment to cope with the changes — which will require students to carry out additional research investigations.
They say children in disadvantaged schools would be most impacted by such shortages.
The report given to Ms Foley suggests there is merit in such arguments. It said “a minimum or recommended schedule of science equipment for schools should be established”.
A second tranche of subject changes are due to come into effect in September 2026, with English and geography among them.
The board said achieving the delivery of these “within the proposed timetable will be very challenging for the department, its agencies” and schools, given the implementation of other changes will already be ongoing.
It advised the minister that every effort should be made to ensure materials for these subjects would be available to teachers one year in advance of their implementation.
This is the subject of an ongoing row involving the ASTI. The teachers’ union is unhappy that materials for the science changes being introduced in September 2025 are unlikely to be ready before the end of this summer.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said schools taking on the new drama and sustainability subjects “will be provided with a temporary additional teaching allocation” to support their introduction. Relevant schools have been given notice of this allocation.
The department said most sanctioned positions for the upcoming school year are filled, but some schools face challenges getting substitute teachers.
Among a number of measures introduced to improve the availability of new teachers is a €2,000 incentive payment, payable next summer, for newly qualified staff who take up full-time roles for the coming year.
Some schools have expressed doubts about the incentive, but the department said new upskilling programmes and the creation of additional posts of responsibility or leadership roles in schools will help the supply issue.