Government plans to remove early leaving exemptions will stretch already limited resources, the Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA) says.
The Education Amendment Bill announced in Parliament yesterday would remove any early leaving provisions for 15-year-olds, part of the Government's proposed School's Plus scheme to keep children in school for longer.
PPTA president Robin Duff said the bill had teachers concerned and showed how little was known about the scheme.
"Many principals and boards, let alone teachers, will be tearing their hair out seeking support and resources to deal with this latest edict," Mr Duff said. "This latest announcement is typical of the smokescreen surrounding the Schools Plus policy. We are presented with grand ideas but no suggestion of how they will be funded."
Mr Duff said there were also fears the new legislation could create a layer of bureaucracy, rather than focusing on teaching and keeping students engaged.
"At this stage it is very difficult to know what will happen with this legislation because we have been provided with such little detail. All we want to know is how this will be resourced and where will the money come from?"
