Irish secondary school teachers work fewer hours than the majority of those in other countries within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), it has been revealed.

According to a Department of Education memo seen by the Irish Times, teachers in this country work around 40 per cent less than the OECD average.

"Second-level teachers in Ireland also work one of the shortest school years in the OECD – 167 days per year, compared to the OECD average of 185 days per year," the publication noted.

Furthermore, Ireland is one of the few countries that permits teachers to leave the school premises during the day if they have a period with no class.

Most secondary pupils have classes for 33 weeks of the year, while the OECD average is 38.

The Irish Times reported last week that a number of schools have been forced to cut back on science and higher level maths classes due to a shortage of teachers.

Written by Fiona Mayers

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