Hundreds of teachers face chop under Department orders [thejournal.ie]
- Published: 09 March 2011
HUNDREDS OF TEACHERS filling temporary jobs in the country’s primary schools are to be laid off at the end of the year, after a Department of Education directive told principals that the jobs would now be filled by full-time teachers losing their jobs elsewhere.
The orders – circulated to primary school principals last week – said that under the terms of the EU-IMF deal and the outgoing government’s Four Year Plan, around 1,200 positions – largely dedicated to the education children from Traveller backgrounds, or those with difficulties in English – had to be cut.
The document explains that those teachers must be given priority in filling any vacancies that might arise in a school – including situations like maternity leave, where those temporary vacancies are already being filled.
This means that hundreds of younger teachers, who are already filling those positions, will immediately lose those jobs – and will not even be in a position to seek an interview to fill the job again.
The temporary teachers – including those finishing their mandatory year of post-degree experience in order to qualify for their full teaching diploma – will not be entitled to social welfare, however, as they will still be entitled to work as substitute teachers whenever vacancies might arise for a few days at a time.
Full Story: www.thejournal.ie
In short [IrishTimes]
- Published: 09 March 2011
A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Four food businesses closed down
Four Irish food businesses were closed down by the health authorities for breaches of food safety regulations during February, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland said yesterday, writes Seán Mac Connell.
Closure orders were served on the Lucky Palace restaurant, James Fintan Lalor Avenue, Portlaoise; Row Inn Row Chinese Restaurant, Count John’s, The Bawn, Athlone; Friar Tucks takeaway, Main Street, Killadysert, Co Clare, and on premises occupied by Amin Akhaler, Clanbrassil Street Lower, Dublin.
Transport change for schoolchildren
Primary children who live less than two miles from their school should lose their eligibility to free school transport , according to a new review, writes Seán Flynn.
It also proposes the abolition of services catering for less than 10 schoolchildren.
The recommendations are made in the report of the Value for Money Review of the School Transport Scheme, published yesterday.
Existing transport arrangements will remain in place for existing primary pupils for the duration of their schooling.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Hundreds of teachers face losing posts under new rules [IrishTimes]
- Published: 09 March 2011
HUNDREDS OF temporary teachers face uncertainty as new rules on redeployment come into force.
One south Dublin primary school reported yesterday that six temporary staff – all fully qualified – are to lose their posts as a result of the new rules on the filling of vacant posts.
Under the new procedures, vacancies in primary schools must be offered initially to permanent teachers on redeployment panels. A similar circular will be issued to second-level schools shortly.
A total of 1,200 teaching positions were abolished in last year’s budget. As a result, there will be a large surplus of permanent teachers looking for redeployment at the end of the current school year in June.
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation warned last night that existing temporary teachers will face an anxious wait over the summer to see whether they will have employment in their current school.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Learning a harsh economic lesson [Independent.ie]
- Published: 09 March 2011
TEACHER Ellie Ni Mhurchu fears her prospects for a career in Ireland vanished when a circular from the Department of Education landed at her school last week.
The 26-year-old from Monkstown, Dublin, has been working at St Anne's national school in Shankill, Co Dublin, for two years.
She is one of five teachers at St Anne's -- on a fixed-term basis -- who don't know if their contracts will be renewed in September. Teachers being redeployed from elsewhere have first call on their positions so their hopes of a permanent job are even more uncertain.
Ms Ni Mhurchu said that when she did a post-graduate course in primary teaching, she "could not foresee anything like this".
Full Story: www.independent.ie
College takes on more staff as online learning booms [Independent.ie]
- Published: 09 March 2011
It started a decade ago as a highly controversial online college that trained primary teachers. Now it has grown into a multinational business with over 7,000 students in 30 countries.
Hibernia College is now a fast-expanding part of the Irish education scene.
While other businesses are laying off employees, and in many cases struggling to survive, the Dublin-based private college recently announced that it was hiring 25 new staff.
When Dr Sean Rowland set up Hibernia as an internet-based training institution there was uproar in the teaching profession.
In a joint statement the heads of nine colleges of education said approval of the online college represented a dilution of academic standards and an attack on the professional status of teachers. The college heads even expressed fears about the well-being of primary schoolchildren.
Sean Rowland overcame these early reservations and Hibernia now trains more primary teachers than any other college.
Students at Hibernia are taught through "blended learning'', which is a combination of online and face-to-face education.
Course material is delivered over the web through downloadable lectures, live online tutorials and discussion forums. Students meet up at local education centres for live seminars.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
