Re-think on teaching of Irish urged at Seachtain na Gaelige launch [mayonews.ie]
- Published: 08 March 2011
Seachtain na Gaeilge Mhaigh Eo was launched last Wednesday, March 2, at Ireland West Airport Knock by Séamus McCormack, Uachtarán, Comhaltas Ceoiltoiri Éireann, as the debate into the Fine Gael proposal for the language continued to dominate discussion.
Máirtín Ó Maicín, chairperson of Togra Mhaigh Eo, Conradh na Gaeilge said last week that there are a wide variety of events planned and he expects the week of celebration will inspire people to embrace the cúpla focal.
Just over fifteen years ago primary school teacher and author Colmán Ó Raghallaigh founded Cló Mhaigh Eo with his wife Mairéad in order to publish books in the Irish language for children and young people. Since then Ó Raghallaigh’s small company in Claremorris has flourished winning numerous awards.
Mr Ó Raghallaigh said that Seachtain na Gaeilge is very important.
“It brings to mind the importance of the language at a time when a sense of pride in our national identity is vitally important. The week gives ordinary people a sense of ownership and raises the consciousness of Irish amongst people in Mayo and throughout the country.”
Ó Raghallaigh like Ó Maicín is a great advocate of the Irish language in Mayo and he is saddened by the recent Fine Gael proposals. ”I believe the Fine Gael proposal is a mistake. The motivation may be good but if it is implemented in the current form it would mean the absolute destruction of the language within ten years.“
Ó Maicín said he believes that Enda Kenny has a lot of motivation to advance the language but this policy would ‘do irreparable damage to the language within a very short time’. He said that while Conradh na Gaeilge acknowledges that the current education system is not serving the pupil or the language satisfactorily.
“I welcome Enda Kenny’s statement on Radio na Gaeltachta on the day before the election when he stated that compulsory Irish would not be abolished until a proper review, based on scientific research was carried out. One would hope that the incoming Taoiseach would not pre-empt the results of this research and that COCG (An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta & Gaelscolaíochta) would be involved in the review and research.”
Ó Raghallaigh believes there is an unwarranted level of antipathy towards the Irish language from the Dublin media in particular and he said this was most regrettable.
Full Story: www.mayonews.ie
Taxpayers shell out €100m in decade on 'surplus' teachers [Independent.ie]
- Published: 08 March 2011
MORE than 170 "surplus" teachers are still employed in Irish schools at a cost of €10m a year to the taxpayer.
One secondary school in Athlone, Co Westmeath, has eight teachers over its official quota and has had for years.
Two others each have seven teachers too many and three schools each have six teachers too many.
The issue has persisted for years and is only now being seriously addressed in order to cut public spending.
In the past decade, around €100m has been spent paying the salaries of "surplus" teachers, who were not redeployed even though they were above the school's official quota.
A Department of Education spokesperson said the schools concerned would continue in the short term to have the extra teachers under the teacher allocation rules applying to schools generally.
"The numbers surplus are posts they continued to hold in the absence of redeployment arrangements," she said.
"The introduction of new redeployment arrangements is intended to deal with the surplus".
When the new scheme comes into effect, the surplus teachers will be moved to other second-level schools, as part of the Croke Park agreement.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Re-think on teaching of Irish urged at Seachtain na Gaelige launch [mayonews.ie]
- Published: 08 March 2011
Seachtain na Gaeilge Mhaigh Eo was launched last Wednesday, March 2, at Ireland West Airport Knock by Séamus McCormack, Uachtarán, Comhaltas Ceoiltoiri Éireann, as the debate into the Fine Gael proposal for the language continued to dominate discussion.
Máirtín Ó Maicín, chairperson of Togra Mhaigh Eo, Conradh na Gaeilge said last week that there are a wide variety of events planned and he expects the week of celebration will inspire people to embrace the cúpla focal.
Just over fifteen years ago primary school teacher and author Colmán Ó Raghallaigh founded Cló Mhaigh Eo with his wife Mairéad in order to publish books in the Irish language for children and young people. Since then Ó Raghallaigh’s small company in Claremorris has flourished winning numerous awards.
Mr Ó Raghallaigh said that Seachtain na Gaeilge is very important.
“It brings to mind the importance of the language at a time when a sense of pride in our national identity is vitally important. The week gives ordinary people a sense of ownership and raises the consciousness of Irish amongst people in Mayo and throughout the country.”
Ó Raghallaigh like Ó Maicín is a great advocate of the Irish language in Mayo and he is saddened by the recent Fine Gael proposals. ”I believe the Fine Gael proposal is a mistake. The motivation may be good but if it is implemented in the current form it would mean the absolute destruction of the language within ten years.“
Ó Maicín said he believes that Enda Kenny has a lot of motivation to advance the language but this policy would ‘do irreparable damage to the language within a very short time’. He said that while Conradh na Gaeilge acknowledges that the current education system is not serving the pupil or the language satisfactorily.
“I welcome Enda Kenny’s statement on Radio na Gaeltachta on the day before the election when he stated that compulsory Irish would not be abolished until a proper review, based on scientific research was carried out. One would hope that the incoming Taoiseach would not pre-empt the results of this research and that COCG (An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta & Gaelscolaíochta) would be involved in the review and research.”
Ó Raghallaigh believes there is an unwarranted level of antipathy towards the Irish language from the Dublin media in particular and he said this was most regrettable.
Full Story: www.mayonews.ie
Staffing schedule for 11/12 school year [DES Circular 0019/2011]
- Published: 08 March 2011
Bipartisan Group Backs Common School Curriculum [NY Times]
- Published: 08 March 2011
The proposal, if it gains traction, would go beyond the common academic standards in English and mathematics that about 40 states adopted last year, by providing specific guidelines for schools and teachers about what should be taught in each grade.
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