THE Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) has welcomed the Department of Education's evaluation of the transition year as "a ringing endorsement" of the programme.
The evaluation, published yesterday by the Minister for Education, showed 89 per cent of schools operated the programme satisfactorily.
The report, said Ms Breathnach, showed the programme was "a major success" involving more than 20,000 pupils in 1994 to 1995. Department inspections of 145 schools offering the transition year showed teachers and parents agreed it was worthwhile. The value of work experience and the widespread encouragement of enterprise was also made evident.
The National Youth Council of Ireland welcomed the Department's "clampdown" on schools not operating the programme satisfactorily. It also criticised schools which use the extra year to improve their students' Leaving Cert grades.
