IPPN

Teacher's Pet [IrishTimes]

Published: 01 March 2011

Education rarely featured in the election campaign where it was shoved to the sidings by the economic agenda.

During the campaign, all the main political parties rolled out those cliches about the critical importance of eduction and our young people. But there was little sense of any serious policy work.

The agenda of all the main parties was the familiar one dictated by the teachers’ unions, namely the need to boost resources in this or that area.

Yes, the Irish education system remains underfunded. But we also need need to focus on outcomes and not just inputs.

The key issue facing the education sector is the decline in standards. The findings of the recent OECD/PISA report bear repetition.

Close to a quarter of all 15 year-olds in the State are functionally illiterate. Ireland is now ranked 17th on literacy in world rankings, down from 5th – the steepest decline of any developed country. On maths and science, we are languishing in mid-table when we aspire to be world class .

All of this should have been a wake-up call for the political parties – but in the rush for votes the OECD findings scarcely gained a mention.

***

The debate on school buildings neatly summarised the level of the education debate during the election. The various parties were falling over themselves in the rush to promise new school buildings which would upgrade the creaking infrastructure – and create jobs.

No one doubts that many schools need upgrading but the key issue is the huge number of schools (3,200 alone at primary level) and the desperate need for some rationalisation. But, fearing a backlash from small school communities, the politicians focused on the motherhood and apple pie issues.

Despite the superficial nature of the election campaign, the new government will have a busy education agenda with a new focus on standards in schools. Other items of the agenda are set to include badly needed reform of the Junior and Leaving Cert exams, a review of the CAO points system and a new student contribution system at third level.

Full Story: www.irishtimes.com

Inspectors under fire for publicly criticising principal [Independent.ie]

Published: 01 March 2011

DEPARTMENT of Education inspectors were yesterday criticised after rapping a principal on the knuckles for not keeping a school register for 10 years.

The register contains details of each pupil's name, address, date of birth, religion, annual school attendance record, parents' names and their occupations.

The register is in addition to two separate attendance rolls, which record the daily attendance for each class and for the school as a whole -- these were properly filled in by school Sn Coill Mor, Drummin, Westport, Co Mayo, over the 10-year period.

School principal Fine Gael councillor Teresa Maguire said last night there was no register when she took over as principal a decade ago and she did not realise one was necessary.

She only became aware of it before a school inspection last year, the results of which have just been published on the department's website.

"I said straight away 'hands up, I didn't keep a register'," she told the Irish Independent.

Now she is wondering if she is paying for her honesty as her school has been publicly criticised for not having the register. The school has since addressed the problem.

The register is kept on the school premises and is rarely consulted.

Full Story: www.independent.ie

Teachers still top of class for 31st Dail representation [Independent.ie]

Published: 01 March 2011

TEACHERS will still make up the largest professional group in the 31st Dail -- despite an increase in TDs with more varied backgrounds.

One-fifth of those so far elected have an educational background.

And with counting still going on in three constituencies the final tally could be even higher.

A total of 154 seats have been filled and 30 of these TDs are former national and secondary school teachers, pre-school teachers and university lecturers.

The number is down from 2007 when 38 politicians who previously worked in education entered the Dail.

But despite this, the sector is still the largest to be represented -- with only farmers and those who state that their full-time occupation is "public representative" following it.

The revelation comes in the wake of anger at the number of teacher-turned-politicians, some of who are in line for double or triple pensions when the leave office.

Under changes being introduced by the Department of Education, newly elected teacher-TDs and senators will be able to keep their old jobs open for up to 10 years in future.

Full Story: www.independent.ie

How Finland emerged from recession with the best education system in Europe [IrishTimes]

Published: 01 March 2011

OPINION Finland recovered from deep recession and built a world-class education system. Ireland must follow suit, writes PASI SAHLBERG

FOLLOWING THE break-up of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, Finland experienced a severe recession, not dissimilar to current difficulties in Ireland.

Unemployment climbed from 3 per cent to 18 per cent in two years. GDP dropped 13 per cent at the same time and Finnish public spending reached close to 70 per cent of the overall state budget.

The Finnish Government of the day bravely decided that increased investment in education was the roadmap to recovery.

Result? Finland emerged quickly from recession, built a highly-skilled workforce, and today boasts one of the finest education systems in the world.

Interestingly, Finland has not employed any of the market-based educational reform ideas in the ways that they have been accepted within education policies of many other nations, United States and England among them.

By contrast, a typical feature of teaching and learning in Finland is high confidence in teachers and principals as respected professionals.

Another feature involves encouraging teachers and students to try new ideas and approaches rather than teaching them to master fixed attainment targets. This makes the school a creative and inspiring place for students and teachers.

What is important is that today’s Finnish education policies are a result of three decades of systematic, mostly intentional development that has created a culture of diversity, trust, and respect within Finnish society in general, and within its education system in particular. The result is a cocktail of good ideas from other countries and smart practices from the tradition of teaching and learning in Finland.

Full Story: www.irishtimes.com