Austerity affecting mental health in schools – A.S.T.I is fighting for improving this situation

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Noel McGuinness is talking to ED BYRNE Vice president of A.S.T.I. about how austerity has affected student mental health in schools. The effect of more students in a class means less teacher and guidance for pupils, which damage physical health, which now is more in a focus than ever before. The importance of a guidance councellor immense, but now there are not only guidance councellors, caused by the cuts in the economy they have to teach subjects as well. That means specialized teacher because of the immense workload often don’t have that many time to deal  with this problems. The middle person, who has just the job of a guidance councellor is missed. A.S.T.I is fighting for getting that back to that for better emotional support.

The ASTI is Ireland’s main second level teachers union and represents 18,000 teachers in community schools, community colleges, comprehensive schools and voluntary secondary schools attended by 80% of all second-level students.

The ASTI acts as a professional association voicing the concerns and interests of the teaching profession at second-level and as a registered trade union, which protects teachers and fights for improvements in their pay and conditions of employment.

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