Westmeath's ten smallest schools worried for future [westmeathexaminer.ie]
- Published: 23 March 2011
There are fears for the future of at least ten primary schools in Westmeath this week, after the Government announced plans to review the viability of hundreds of two-teacher schools across the country.
Teachers and parents involved with the schools are angry over what they see as a lack of official consultation about the pending review, which will consider the implementation of further education cuts outlined in the 2009 An Bord Snip Nua Report.
The "Value for Money" review, a Department of Education and Skills spokesperson said, will look at the viability of small primary schools "where the question of closure would arise in the normal course under the current sustainability levels".
Full Story: www.westmeathexaminer.ie
Ruane announces £6million for sports coaching in primary schools [sinnfein.ie]
- Published: 23 March 2011
Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, has announced funding totalling £6million for soccer and Gaelic games coaching in local primary schools.
Twenty four coaches from the Irish Football Association (IFA) and 32 Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) coaches currently deliver training for over 33,000 children in 551 primary schools across the north of Ireland. The new funding will see the programme sustained over the next four years.
Making the announcement, the Minister said: “I introduced the Primary Sports Programme in 2007 to help improve the health and wellbeing of our children and encourage them to embrace a healthy lifestyle from a young age.
“Getting involved with sport is an excellent way of achieving this. Both Gaelic games and soccer offer many opportunities for young girls and boys to have fun and keep healthy. Not only does such activity tackle and prevent obesity, but it also helps children focus and learn better during class time.
“I believe this is a vital aspect of growing up which is why my Department has to date made available around £5.2 million for the programme. The new funding of £1.5million per year will ensure that the IFA and GAA can continue this excellent work for four more years, ensuring that even more local children can improve their fundamental skills and keep active.
Full Story: www.sinnfein.ie
Cautious Church welcome for school forum [irishcatholic.ie]
- Published: 23 March 2011
Church leaders have given a cautious welcome to plans by the new Government to hold a forum on the future of Catholic education and warned that the process will not be simple.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn confirmed that he will set up a national forum as soon as possible to discuss the hand-over of some Catholic schools to new patron bodies.
Speaking after addressing the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA), he said the purpose would be to ''assist'' the Catholic Church to divest itself of some of its schools ''where they choose and as appropriate''.
He said the forum will ''discuss implementation'' of this and will not be ''a talking shop''.
At present, 92 per cent of primary schools are under Catholic Church management, a situation which Church leaders say no longer reflects the true demand for Catholic education in some areas.
Welcomed
Bishop Leo O'Reilly told The Irish Catholic this week he welcomed the setting up of the forum. ''It is something that Archbishop [Diarmuid] Martin has already called for.
''A discussion of the issues involved should be valuable and I think it may help to highlight the complexity of the issue.
''There's sometimes a simplistic approach to this -- it's not just an issue of handing over schools, you have parents and children in local parishes and they have to be consulted,'' Bishop O'Reilly said.
Dr O'Reilly, who sits on the bishops' education commission, also said there were differences between rural and urban areas that had to be taken into account.
Full Story: www.irishcatholic.ie
Lá Oscailte an Earraigh [Foras.ie]
- Published: 23 March 2011
Le blaiseadh a fháil de bheatha an scoláire in OÉ Gaillimh, iarrtar ar gach dalta atá ag déanamh iarratais tríd an CAO teacht chun an champais Dé Sathairn, 2 Aibreán. Tá Lá Oscailte an Earraigh dírithe ar mhic léinn Ardteistiméireachta agus ar mhic léinn lánfhásta ar spéis leo teacht ag staidéar in OÉ Gaillimh.
níos mó faoi ...
Pensions Symposium Tonight [INTO.ie]
- Published: 23 March 2011
Final call for members interested in attending this evening's Pensions Symposium on threats to teachers' pensions. Expert speakers from Ireland and the UK. Opportunity to question and debate.
Small number of INTO places left – to register, email emcgann@into.ie or ring 01-8047783. Venue of INTO/ASTI/TUI Symposium is Gresham Hotel, O'Connell Street, Dublin 1, registration from 6.30pm, commences at 7.30pm.
read more ...
