Pensions change attacked

HIGHER education attention was focused on the High Court this week as teachers mounted a challenge to the Government's controversial early retirement plans, writes Alan Thomson.

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers was due in the High Court yesterday to seek a judicial review of education department attempts to stem the flood of teachers and lecturers applying for early retirement.

Staff in schools, colleges and new universities are applying in droves for early retirement before the introduction of reforms to the Teachers Superannuation School from April 1.

The reforms will make early retirement far more expensive for institutions and so increasingly rare.