The Association of Secondary School Teachers (ASTI) say urgent action is needed to ensure second level students have qualified teachers in classrooms.
A survey conducted by the ASTI with School Principals in 2025, showed that two thirds of school Principals had failed to receive a single application to an advertised teaching post in their school.
Both the retention and the recruitment of secondary teachers nationally, across a range of subjects, is increasingly challenging.
Geraldine O’Loughlin is a teacher in Ballyhaunis Community School and is a member of the Standing Committee of the ASTI in this region.
Midwest News Editor Teresa O’Malley asked Geraldine how severe is the teaching shortage crisis at present, in this region, in our second level schools?
