Institute of Technology lecturers protest over severe damage caused by cutbacks

By piofficer, Thursday, 26th November 2015 | 0 comments

Lecturers are protesting outside the country’s fourteen Institutes of Technology during lunchtime today over severe cuts to their sector. The protests are organised by the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), which represents 4,000 lecturing and research staff in the institutes.
 

The union says that severe cutbacks have had a direct, negative impact on the student experience of higher education.

In the coming weeks, TUI members will be balloted on engagement in a campaign of industrial action, up to and including strike action, in order to secure a resolution to key issues.

Regular service to students will not be affected in any way by today’s protest.

Speaking today, TUI President Gerry Quinn said:

‘Lecturers in Institutes of Technology see first-hand the damage that an era of austerity cuts has wreaked on the education system and the quality of experience for students.

The figures are startling. Between 2008 and 2015, student numbers within the sector rose by 21,411 or 32%. Over the same period, the number of lecturers within the sector fell by 535 or 9.5%.  

This has had a hugely damaging effect on the sector.

While the increase in student numbers participating in third level education is most welcome, the complete failure to provide appropriate funding and to maintain appropriate staffing levels has had a direct, negative impact on the student experience of higher education. Students have to deal with larger class sizes and considerably less access to essential facilities such as libraries and laboratories. They also have to endure sharp cuts to tutorial and student support provision.

This week’s OECD Education At A Glance 2015 report shows that the ratio of students to teaching staff in Irish third level institutions is 20:1, far above the OECD average of 16:1. As a result of the fall in lecturer numbers and the steep rise in student numbers, lecturer workload has increased significantly. Findings of a survey carried out by TUI (released April 2015) show that lecturers are experiencing high levels of work related stress as a result of cutbacks and rationalisation of the sector. The current workload is disproportionate, unfair and unsustainable.

In addition, many academic staff suffer income poverty as a result of low hours and insecure employment.

The situation is at crisis level, and lecturers and researchers will be balloted by TUI in the coming weeks on engagement in a campaign of industrial action, up to and including strike action, in order to secure a resolution to key issues.

We urge the Department of Education and Skills to engage with us as a matter of urgency.’

 

Note to editor
 

Key areas of concern include:

  • The chronic underfunding of the Institutes of Technology (35% cut to sector- €190m – between 2008 and 2015)
     
  • The critically low staffing levels at a time of a steep and ongoing increase in student numbers and the consequential unacceptable workload imposition on lecturers (21,411 or 32% rise in student numbers in sector between 2008 and 2015 / 535 or 9.5% fall in full-time academic staff numbers in sector between 2008 and 2015)
     
  • The precarious employment status, income poverty and associated exploitation of many academic staff and
     
  • The resulting, detrimental effect of these issues on the quality of service to students (larger class sizes, less access to laboratories, tutorials, student support etc)

 

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