Talks between the Minister of Education and the second level teachers unions have failed to avert strike action.
The ASTI and TUI will go ahead with a one-day strike on December 2 - and there are also plans for a further day of action in January.
The unions are opposed to the Government's Junior Cycle reforms, with the internal assessment of students by their own teachers still the main point of contention.
Founding president of the University of Limerick Ed Walsh said the Minister should press ahead with the changes.
"The Minister for Education (Jan O'Sullivan) has conceded much more than she should. She should stick her heels in," he said.
"It's unfortunate that hard-pressed parents are once more going to be inconvenienced by the unions, but it's time the Government stood up to people."