Minister Sherlock officially opens new extension at Baltydaniel National School [education.ie]
- Published: 21 November 2011
The Minister for Research and Innovation, Seán Sherlock T.D., today officially opened the new extension at Baltydaniel NS, Mallow, Co. Cork.
Speaking at the school, Minister Sherlock expressed his gratitude to the school principal, the chairperson of the board of management, to the parish priest and school chaplain, and "to all the school community for giving me the honour of opening the facilities and unveiling a plaque to mark this great occasion for your school".
The Minister said: "The new facilities offer new opportunities to the pupils and teachers at the school, to extend and enrich the educational experience and supports available."
The new extension includes the addition of new classrooms, learning support/resource rooms and staff room, and was funded through the Departments Devolved Grant Scheme.
Full Story: www.education.ie
Religious rule should be abolished and schools transferred from Church patronage [thejournal.ie]
- Published: 18 November 2011
A RULE WHICH guides religious education in primary schools should be abolished and transferring over 250 schools from the Catholic Church to new patrons should be looked at, an advisory group has said.
The Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in primary schools yesterday gave details of its interim report at the Department of Education, recommending that there should be a “rolling plan for incremental change” in the patronage of primary schools in Ireland.
It was also recommended that that a controversial rule which governs religious instruction in primary school education in Ireland, Rule 68, should be abolished.
Full Story: www.thejournal.ie
Locations identified for schools handover [Independent.ie]
- Published: 18 November 2011
THE Catholic Church has identified 47 towns and suburbs where it is considering handing over control of schools to the State.
Parents with children in the 258 schools will be asked what type of school they want. The areas are regarded as those with the greatest need for more choice in line with religious and cultural changes in society.
The move is part of a wider shake-up in control of primary education recommended by an expert group set up by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn.
The Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector, published preliminary recommendations yesterday.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Could school religion rule be scrapped? [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 18 November 2011
Rules governing religious instruction in primary schools could be abolished if a recommendation from the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism is followed.
As part of its interim report, it called for Rule 68 - which describes religious education as "by far the most important" aspect of the curriculum - to be deleted.
It also stated that greater flexibility should be made available for those who wish to opt out of religious services and instruction provided by primary schools.
Professor John Coolahan, author of the report, stressed the Forum's goal is not radical reform, but to adapt the existing system to make it more inclusive.
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
Public sector reform plans to merge VECs [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 17 November 2011
Governmental reforms of the public sector, which have been announced today (November 17th), are set to slash the number of Vocational Education Committees (VECs) and merge several third level bodies.
The number of local VECs in the country will be cut from 33 to 16, the report from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform confirmed, while three bodies covering higher education will be amalgamated.
These are the Further Education and Training Awards, the Higher Education and Training Award Council and the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, with will become a single department.
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
