THE Ulster Teachers' Union has voted unanimously to take all steps within the law to resist a system under which boards of governors would be responsible for deciding on teacher competence.
It agreed at the annual conference in Belfast that the change would lead to further stress and demoralisation among teachers, and would make them vulnerable to unfounded parental allegations.
At present, inspectors of the NI Department of Education can recommend the withdrawal of a teachers recognition to teach, in the event of unsatisfactory performance. Following a decision by the Education Minister, Mrs Michael Ancram, the employers' have proposed that this task be devolved to school boards.
In a document presented to teachers' unions, the employers say governors should convene a meeting to decide if the teacher has reached a satisfactory standard If not "it is the responsibility of the board of governors to terminate the teacher's contract of employment," the document says.
It adds: "Quantitative indicators of relative performance of similar groups of pupils should be established to assist the process of identifying unsatisfactory work by a teacher." This has raised fears that primary schools could use 11 plus results against teachers.
Claiming that this was one of the most important issues the UTU had addressed in its 77 year history, Mr David Allen, general secretary, said teachers accepted the procedure under which inspectors decided on competence, because they were professionals.
"But now it is being devolved to Uncle Tom Cobley and all. It is being left to amateurs in boards of governors. People lacking in educational expertise will have the right to sack teachers for lack off professional competence.
"It is the most offensive and draconian document that I have ever read in my professional life. There was such an outcry from teacher unions that the employers: agreed to renegotiate it, but that document is not capable of being negotiated because it is based on the premise that the professional competence of teachers, including principals, will be assessed by boards of governors."
Mr Allen argued that teachers would be subject to spurious parental complaints. "The UTU will fight and the UTU will be right. I hope Michael Ancram knows his history because we are not bluffing. If teachers do not fight on this issue, they will never fight."
Delegates supported unanimously another motion calling for the creation of a teaching council to give greater autonomy, to the profession. They warmly applauded Mr Tony Worthington, the Labour shadow spokesman on education, when he promised such a council would be introduced under Labour, with responsibilities including teacher competence.