Labour drops plan to improve literacy for the poor [Independent.ie]
- Published: 10 February 2011
LABOUR has dropped a controversial plan to keep poorer pupils in school for an extra half-an-hour a day to improve their reading and writing, the Irish Independent has learned.
Last month, the party published a literacy policy, which would force 600 disadvantaged primary schools to teach literacy for 120-180 minutes per day -- while other schools would be asked to devote a minimum of 90 minutes.
Crucially, the document then added: "If schools are not delivering improved literacy results, consideration will be given to extending the primary school day by half-an-hour in those schools, to allow for an extension of the time available for teaching literacy."
However, this sentence has been removed from the revised document, issued yesterday. And the amount of time for literacy across the curriculum has been reduced to 120 minutes per day in disadvantaged schools, in what is called the DEIS scheme (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools).
The party's education spokesman, Ruairi Quinn, confirmed the change last night.
He said: "We were advised that it might be misinterpreted and we did not want to be seen as punishing the parents."
Full Story: www.independent.ie
