Quinn to meet Bethany Children's Home survivors [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 24 May 2011
It emerged last year that one child died every three weeks at the Protestant-run Bethany Home in Rathgar from 1935 to 1940.
Full Story: www.examiner.ie
Scheme aims to reskill 6,000 jobless [IrishTimes]
- Published: 23 May 2011
UNIVERSITY OF Limerick, University College Dublin, Dublin City University and University College Cork have all signed up to offer courses under a new programme to be announced this week offering higher education opportunities for those out of work.
The Government will announce the creation of 6,000 part-time higher education and training places for the unemployed this week as part a plan to get people back to work.
The three-year “Springboard” initiative is aimed at skilled workers who have lost their jobs and who are living on benefits.
It will offer them the opportunity to access free higher education and training without affecting their right to receive welfare payments.
The programme, managed by the Higher Education Authority, will cost about €22 million over three years.
Up to 6,000 higher education and training places will be provided in sectors expected to provide the jobs of the future.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
INTO says plan to cut 125 more teachers from primary schools another attack [into.ie]
- Published: 23 May 2011
on staffing cutbacks in schools
INTO says plan to cut 125 more teachers from primary schools another attack on and marginalised children.
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation described the cut of 125 additional teachers as another attack on disadvantaged and marginalised children. The union was responding to an announcement by the Department of Education and Skills that
The union said the decision flew in the face of last year’s PISA report on literacy and numeracy by the OECD which found that Irish standards were negatively affected by an increase in international children.
"This will only make the situation worse" said INTO general secretary Sheila Nunan.
ENDS
Full Story: www.into.ie
Schools told to cut 250 English language posts [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 23 May 2011
The Department of Education has ordered schools to cut the number of teachers who help those with poor English skills by 250 posts.
This is double the number anticipated by the previous government - which favoured a phased reduction of 125 posts per year until 2015 - and will represent a loss of 18 per cent in the number of language support teachers in schools.
Primary schools are likely to be those worst affected, as they account for around 80 per cent of staff helping children, mainly immigrants, learn English.
The department stated it was necessary to speed up the process of the cuts in order to free up teaching posts for the system as a whole.
A spokesperson explained an expected increase in student numbers in September means that extra positions have to be found from somewhere, while they cannot increase recruitment due to hiring restrictions across the public sector.
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
Three lucky schoolchildren say ‘Cheese’ for moment of a lifetime [Independent.ie]
- Published: 23 May 2011
President Barack Obama told three lucky schoolchildren to say cheese as they posed for photographs.
Margaret McDonagh, Colm Dunne and Onyedika Ukachukwu were left with the memento of a lifetime after being chosen to ring a Peace Bell during a tree-planting ceremony.
Mr Obama shovelled soil over an Irish oak in the grounds of Aras an Uachtarain, the official residence of President Mary McAleese, as the youngsters rang the bell.
Mr Obama told them: "You did an outstanding job. Excellent."
Onyedika, eight, is the Irish-born daughter of Nigerian parents and attends Scoil Mhuire in Blakestown, west Dublin.
Nine-year-old Colm, who is visually impaired, attends Scoil Bhride in Paulstown, Co Kilkenny.
And Margaret is a member of the travelling community. The 10-year-old is a pupil at St Francis of Assisi Senior School in Priorswood, north Dublin.
Mr Obama, his wife Michelle, Mrs McAleese and her husband Martin, chatted with the youngsters before the group posed for photographs.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
