`Locals will fight for their schools' [irishcatholic.ie]
- Published: 13 April 2011
A Co. Sligo parish priest has said that locals are prepared to ''fight tooth and nail'' to prevent the closure of their parish's two primary schools, both of which are facing review under new Government cost cutting measures.
Fr John Judge, parish priest of Templeboy parish told The Irish Catholic: ''I know this community is going to fight tooth and nail to keep our two schools and I'm going to be at the centre of that fight.''
He added: ''A school is an integral part of any community and without them there is nothing -- our identity would be gone. To lose any of our schools would be a great loss and it really is a must that they be protected.''
A past student of a two-teacher school, Fr Judge says the value of small, rural schools should not be underestimated.
Full Story: www.irishcatholic.ie
Teachers warned about prospect of pay cuts [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 13 April 2011
Teachers in primary and secondary schools have been warned that they could see their salaries slashed.
Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn has reiterated the prospect of cutting wages in the education system in order to make significant savings.
He stated that unless the Croke Park Agreement is able to deliver tangible results, teachers could face salary reductions and redundancies.
The deal originally stipulated that these would not be implemented until 2014, but the Irish Times reported Mr Quinn as saying: "The country is in a very difficult state and we are not in control of our sovereignty."
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
In my opinion: If the answer is divesting, what was the question? [Independent.ie]
- Published: 13 April 2011
At school, we were given maths problems where we were presented with the answer and were told we had to work out what the question was that would provide this answer.
Divesting seems to be somewhat the same. It seems we have been given the answer . . . but what was the question?
If we want to deal with the real challenges in our primary education system, we can't provide the answers and then try to make the questions fit.
Divesting is only the answer, if the only problem is that there are too many Catholic schools and by having less the problem will be resolved.
The challenges in the primary education system, however, are more complex.
A significant amount of Ireland's primary schools are relatively small and provide education to children within a certain parish area.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Diary of a schoolteacher: Why risk burnout when the brats won't remember you? [Independent.ie]
- Published: 13 April 2011
Like everyone else in teaching, I have a rogue class that I cannot teach anything. The first time I encountered them they refused to give me their names.
No point on calling the deputy principal for help as I'm not allowed to leave them unattended, and if I send one of the retrogrades out to fetch him, the brat will either disappear for a smoke or the DP won't be anywhere to be found.
There's always at least one nice, polite, gentle kid in these criminal fraternities. Maybe a kid with a learning disability but who is smart and decent in every other way.
He or she often wears really thick glasses, has an English accent or is Polish.
You want to scream at them, no, you want to switch on the fire alarm and jump out the window and head for the hills on this glorious sunny April day as they tell you their name is Steven Gerrard or Jessie J and then they fall around laughing as if this is the wittiest thing you will ever hear, but you decide to stay put.
That innocent kid with the English accent who has been to elocution lessons because she was born without a soft palate, she's sitting there in a clean and complete school uniform, book open on the right page, waiting for you to impart knowledge onto her.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
VECs may take over schools [Independent.ie]
- Published: 13 April 2011
Some of the schools that are given up by the Catholic Church in the coming years may be run along multi-denominational lines by local Vocational Education Committees.
The VECs already manage five primaries in Leinster.
At Naas Community National School, pupils follow the VEC religion curriculum, Goodness Me Goodness You.
Principal Marianne Henry said: "For most of the time (during the period set aside for religion) the children are taught together, using stories, songs and poems. It is a programme that emphasises diversity.''
Unlike the Educate Together schools, the new VEC schools have some faith formation during school hours.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
