Urgent action required to address workload crisis – INTO

Members at Congress today deplored the impact demands and pressures are having on their health

Delegates attending the Irish National teachers’ Organisation (INTO) Annual Congress have called for urgent action to be taken amid a deepening workload crisis in primary and special schools.

The ever-growing list of initiatives being introduced in schools, without proper resources, training or consultation, is causing huge pressure on teachers and principals.

Workload intensification remains a significant concern in primary and special schools, with INTO research highlighting its detrimental impact on teachers’ and principals’ health and well-being.

Members at Congress today deplored the impact these demands and pressures are having on their health, wellbeing and quality of life. Members also highlighted the difficulties associated with the recruitment and retention of principals and teachers including the housing crisis, rental pressures and cost-of-living challenges.

Recognising that increasing workloads are unsustainable, Congress called on the Central Executive Committee (CEC) to take whatever actions necessary, up to and including directives and industrial action, for the workload crisis to be resolved as a matter of urgency.

In 2023, the INTO published startling and sobering findings from an extensive research project on teacher workload and an audit of principals’ time, with nine out of 10 teachers reporting that teaching has become more “stressful”, “demanding”, “challenging”, “inflexible” and/or “hectic” in the last five years.

INTO General Secretary John Boyle/ INTO President Carmel Browne / INTO Deputy General Secretary Deirdre O’Connor said: "Our members are stretched to the limit as they struggle to deliver the curriculum in overcrowded classes, where children with a vast array of specific needs are depending on them. The teacher supply crisis forces current teachers to fill gaps and adds to their workload. The unrelenting initiative overload detracts from the core work of teachers, leading to high levels of attrition.

"To address these concerns, the INTO is calling for targeted measures, including further reductions in class sizes, increased substitute cover to facilitate collaborative planning and professional development, and enhanced time allocations for leadership and management responsibilities. These steps are essential to ensure manageable workloads and sustain the delivery of high-quality education.

"School leaders are telling us the job is becoming unsustainable. Administrative demands, insufficient time for leadership and collaboration, and the challenges of supporting children with additional educational needs continue to strain school staff.

"Failure to address the issue will lead to ever greater difficulties in recruiting and retaining high-calibre school leaders. This in turn will impact education outcomes for our pupils.”