Play time is important for kids [Independent.ie]
- Published: 17 May 2011
Making time for children to play freely is vital, say play experts and TV presenter Jeff Brazier, who want parents to make play a priority for their kids
Play is a vital part of a child's learning and development - yet while most parents make sure their children go to school to learn and develop, few prioritise play in the same way.
These days, almost a third of UK parents don't let their children play enough because of safety worries, and also because they don't recognise that a lack of play can have serious effects on a child's long-term development.
A new survey by the British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA) and Play England has found that 66pc of parents would like more time to spend playing with their children, citing work, a busy schedule and feeling too tired as the three main reasons that prevent them from playing.
It's a trend which the BTHA and Play England wants to stop, and they've launched a new campaign, Make Time to Play, to try to encourage parents to prioritise play.
The campaign is supported by TV presenter and Dancing On Ice star Jeff Brazier, a single dad to two young sons whose mother was the late reality TV star Jade Goody.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Department of Education and Skills launches Code of Practice [education.ie]
- Published: 17 May 2011
The Secretary General of the Department of Education and Skills, Brigid McManus, and Data Protection Commissioner, Billy Hawkes, today announced the launch of a data protection Code of Practice for the Department.
The Code is the product of work undertaken by the Department in close cooperation with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner.
It reflects the key principles of data protection best practice.
Set against the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003, the aim of this Code of Practice is to ensure each employee of the Department has an understanding of the concepts of Data Protection and is aware of their own responsibilities.
This, in turn, will assist the Department in its compliance with the Acts.
Data Protection Commissioner, Billy Hawkes said, "I would like to commend the Department for demonstrating leadership in bringing forward this Code. As a significant holder of personal data, the Code sends a strong statement of how seriously it takes its data protection responsibilities. I will be looking to other Government Departments and Public Bodies to follow the Department in this area."
Full Story: www.education.ie
Quinn to review funds for private schools [IrishTimes]
- Published: 16 May 2011
MINISTER FOR Education Ruairí Quinn has said he will review support given by the State for building projects in private fee-paying schools to ensure scarce resources go to those most in need.
Mr Quinn promised to explore the decision made by the last government on capital spending projects for private schools with a view to prioritising the best use of “scarce money”.
“We’ll have to look at scarcity of resources, the ability of schools to raise money and the scale of disadvantage,” he said.
Earlier this month, he told the Dáil that private schools had received more than €530 million in support from the taxpayer over the past five years.
Most of this went to pay teachers’ salaries, but it also included €38 million for current funding, €12 million for building projects, €2.6 million for computer supports and €1.2 million for clerical support over the period. The €38 million in current funding is the total under a support scheme for Protestant schools.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Quinn to review fee-paying schools' support [Independent.ie]
- Published: 16 May 2011
The Government is to review the €100m a year in financial support given by the taxpayer to fee-paying schools.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn says his intention is to ensure scarce resources will go to those most in need.
His main focus will be the subsidy given to the schools for building work, which amounted to €12m in the past five years.
The biggest source of state support for the 55 schools involved is the payment of teacher salaries, worth €105m in the past school year and €470m since 2007.
The Department of Education also pays about €300,000 a year in salaries for clerical staff and about €1.6m for special needs assistants, bringing total payroll support since 2007 to €480m.
But Mr Quinn has already ruled out a change in those arrangements, partly because salaries would have to be paid anyway if the schools switched to the free education sector.
The schools, which charge fees ranging from about €3,000 to €12,750 for day pupils, received €533m from the State in the past five years.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
2011 International Seminar on John McGahern [educationmatters.ie]
- Published: 16 May 2011
The fifth International Seminar on John McGahern, commemorating the work of the renowned Irish writer, will take place from 21-23 July in Co Leitrim.
The annual intenrational seminar on John McGahern is organised by NUI Galway and Leitrim County Council. Last year’s event attracted more than 150 participants from Ireland and overseas.
This year's seminar will take place from 21-23 July in Co Leitrim. The theme is 'McGahern and Creativity'.
The keynote lecture will be delivered by Colm Tóibín, whose novel 'Brooklyn' has been shortlisted for this year’s International Impac Dublin Literary Award.
Dr John Kenny, John McGahern Lecturer in Creative Writing at NUI Galway, says:
“The role of creativity in all areas of innovative thinking is increasingly recognised, from the sciences to the arts and the economic endeavours linked with these.
Full Story: www.educationmatters.ie
