Teachers have taken to the picket lines in their thousands this morning in protest over changes to the Junior Certificate.

One of the major issues is the proposal that would see teachers correct some of their students' work.

Unions are also citing a lack of resources as a reason for the strike.

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

A further one day strike is planned for January.

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.

Education Minister Jan O'Sullivan is calling on teachers to come back to talks.

These teachers in Stillorgan in Dublin told Newstalk why they are going on strike:

Vice president of the ASTI, Máire Ní Chiarba, told Newstalk's Jonathan Healy they do not want to be here:

These teachers protesting at the CBS and St Mary's in Nenagh have been telling Tippfm why they have taken to the picket line.

Pat O'Sullivan is a teacher at St Kieran's Community School in Kells Co Meath.

He thinks it does not make sense for teachers to mark some of their own students' work

President of the ASTI, Philip Irwin, says they do not want to strike but teachers feel they have not been listened to.

But Craig McHugh, President of the Irish Second Level Students Union, says he is 'deeply disappointed' the strike is going ahead.

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

"There is no point in putting parents and students at centre of a disagreement," he said.

"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 added.