Mr Quinn's new challenge [IrishTimes]
- Published: 04 October 2011
THE MINISTER for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn tops the list of the 50 most influential in education, published in today’s editions. Mr Quinn is certainly cutting a dash in education. In a little over six months, he has rolled out an ambitious programme of reform measures. Key reports on changes to the Junior Cert and the Leaving Cert/CAO system have already been published. Further reports are pending on patronage in primary schools, funding for higher education and admission procedures for schools. The Minister has also launched new initiatives designed to boost literacy and numeracy standards in schools. It is an impressive work programme and one which reflects a new urgency to boost performance in our schools and colleges.
In truth, the Minister has little alternative. Ireland’s ranking in both literacy and numeracy slipped dramatically in last year’s OECD survey. On literacy, Ireland dropped from 5th to 19th, the sharpest drop among developed nations. Mr Quinn has described the OECD survey as a “wake-up call’’ for Irish education which proved how we have been “codding ourselves’’ about our “world class’’ education system. He has set about improving matters.
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