IPPN

12 December, 2005 - Minister Hanafin announces major increase in funding for school management bodies

Published: 12 December 2005

The Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin T.D. has announced a range of increased supports for school management bodies and for newly established schools. Included in the package of measures is an increase of almost threefold in the grant paid to the two management bodies supporting Educate Together and Church of Ireland schools.

The annual grant to Educate Together and the Church of Ireland Board of Education is being increased from just over €40,000 to €120,000. The Catholic Primary School Management Association which supports the majority of primary schools is also having its grant increased from €102,000 to €152,000.

"I am pleased to be in a position to acknowledge the work that these bodies do to support school management in the primary sector" said Minister Hanafin.

As a further measure to support new primary schools the Minister is initiating a training grant for new primary schools. Minister Hanafin said "a grant of €10,000 payable in two instalments of €5,000 will be paid to the boards of management of newly establishing schools for training of the board and staff in their initial years." The Minister indicated that schools established in 04/05 school year and who are now in their second year of operation will receive €5,000 as a training grant for Boards of Management. Those established in this school year will qualify for both instalments of the grant.

In addition Minister Hanafin is allowing new schools to appoint their principal in advance of their first school year to assist in the preparation for their first year of operation.

"I am confident that the enhanced level of funding for school management organisations will enable them to provide support to their existing and newly establishing schools. I am also pleased to be in a position to provide additional supports to newly establishing schools." added the Minister.

ENDS

New Zealand Principals invites Irish Principals to take in a PhD research project about School Principals

Published: 07 December 2005

I would like to extend an invitation to you to take part in a PhD research project about School Principals.

My name is Rob Taylor, a School Principal. I am completing a PhD part-time through Victoria University Wellington.

The focus of my research is to investigate how decentralising the administration of our schools continues to impact on the personal and professional life of the school principal.

In I understand that you use a system of Boards of Management, In New Zealand we use a system of Boards of Trustees and Victoria Australia uses a system of School Councils. These three localised systems for administering our schools have some similarities and of course differences. I aim to compare these three systems to find out how decentralised systems for administering our schools is helpful or unhelpful to you personally as a school principal.

I need to talk to some of you personally. If you are willing to share personal experiences and stories about your life and work as a school principal in this is a chance to "say what you want to say and to say it in confidence". At the same time you will be adding valuable data to a piece of groundbreaking international research about what is happening to and for us as school principals. All ethical considerations will be observed to ensure professional and personal safety.

I hope to be able to conduct interviews using telephone conferencing. Interviews will be transcribed for you to read and amend before I use them as data for my research.

If you would like to be involved in this research please email me at; principal@colwill.school.nz with your contact details.

Statement from the Department of Educaton and Science in relation to the proposed National day of Protest on Friday

Published: 07 December 2005

STATEMENT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE IN RELATION TO THE PROPOSED NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST ON FRIDAY 9TH DECEMBER

The Department of Education and Science wishes to clarify that all schools should be open on Friday 9 December next. This is in line with he standardised school year arrangements which are designed to give parents certainty about the days on which schools will be open for pupils to receive an education. The only exception to this is where a school has previously scheduled and planned a closure for that day and where this has been notified to parents already.

In relation to the National Day of Protest organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Department is aware that the unions have communicated with their members regarding attendance at the demonstrations planned throughout the country. The unions have not informed the Department of a work stoppage on Friday next. The INTO and ASTI have indicated to the Department that they intend to put arrangements in place regarding attendance at protest marches that should enable schools to continue to function.

The Minister's position is that every effort should be made, in the interest of pupils, to ensure that all schools remain open on Friday and calls on all other unions involved not to bring about a situation where any school has to close.

In the regrettable event that a school authority becomes aware that the level of absence among teachers in its school will be such that it will be impossible for the school to function for some of the school day it may have no alternative but to advise parents accordingly. In that event the Department is advising the School Management Bodies that it expects school authorities to enable those teachers not absenting themselves to continue working in the school on non class contact activities (e.g. preparation of material, school planning).

The Minister expects that schools will be given adequate advance notice of any intended stoppage or absence so that there will be absolute clarity for parents and pupils.

The public service position is that deductions from pay must be made in all cases of unauthorised absence from work. While teachers and other school employees may decide to attend a protest the Department has clarified that there is a difficulty about authorising absences for teachers who have timetabled class commitments. Furthermore unlike many other areas of the public service there is no general system of casual leave for teachers. This means that teachers who elect to leave school to attend a protest are liable to have deductions made from salary. The Department will be seeking details from schools of any stoppages or absences so that deductions from salary may be made.

A position consistent with the above should apply in other colleges and institutions throughout the Education sector.

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6th December 2005

€40m funding for new technology equipment

Published: 02 December 2005

01 December, 2005 - Minister Hanafin announces €40m funding for new technology equipment in over 500 post-primary schools

Over 500 post primary schools around the country are to receive grants to replace and modernise equipment in metalwork and technology rooms. Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin T.D. today announced that she is providing €40million to address key safety issues in specialist technology rooms and to enable schools to prepare in the coming year for the introduction of the revised Leaving Certificate syllabi in Technology and Design and Communications.

Minister Hanafin said two new Leaving Certificate syllabi will be offered to Leaving Certificate students from the start 2007/2008 school year, and will be examined for the first time in 2009. The Minister announced the additional funding and new subjects as she launched a report on a recent review of Occupational Health and Safety in the Technologies in the Post-Primary sector undertaken by the State Claims Agency in co-operation with the Department of Education and Science.

"The €40million grants being provided to schools will allow them to immediately replace and modernise existing equipment in metalwork and technology rooms. It will also mean that schools and teachers will be ready for the introduction of the revised syllabi in Technology and Design and Communications Graphics.

The new Leaving Certificate subject Technology will allow for a progression for students studying the subject in Junior Cert, where some 10,800 in 154 schools study the subject. This new subject will enable students develop an understanding of how technology impacts on our everyday lives and on society generally. The subject will also engage students in health and safety, design, analysis, research, problem solving and evaluation and presentation.

The new subject of Design and Graphics will replace Technical Drawing. This new subject will introduce students to the essential principles of graphics and how to apply them in a variety of design situations. At present 13,500 students in over 450 schools are studying Technical Drawing at Leaving Certificate level. The new subject will test students' skills of investigation, critical thinking and problem solving."