A second day of strike action for teachers in the row over junior cycle reform has been announced for January 22nd. The ASTI and the TUI executive committee agreed on the date during a meeting this morning.

They will also take an additional day of strike action on a date which has not yet been announced.

It is set to affect nearly 350,000 students across the 730 post-primary schools in the country.

The row centres on Department of Education plans to overhaul the junior cycle, which would involve teachers assessing a portion of their own students exams.

Teachers rejected new proposals that included a final exam in third year - accounting for 60% of junior cycle marks to be marked externally.

They took to the picket lines earlier this month, which saw schools shut for the day.

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny has previously said there was no point in putting students and parents at the centre of a disagreement.

"There is nothing to be gained with strike action. It is unfair on students and parents especially those in the very exam years that these reforms refer to," he said.

Earlier this month, the Education Minister Jan O'Sullivan called on teachers to come back to talks.