Catholic schools to challenge HRC position [irishcatholic.ie]
- Published: 27 January 2011
Leaders in Catholic education are to mount a robust challenge to suggestions by the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) that religion in the classroom may breach the human rights of children.
Representatives from trustees, religious congregation, Catholic teacher-training colleges and other stakeholders both at primary and secondary level gathered in Maynooth last week to discuss responses.
In a discussion paper launched at a conference before Christmas, the IHRC said the central role of religion in the majority of Irish schools may be a breach of the human rights of some children.
Allowing pupils from minority faiths or none to opt out of religious instruction may not be enough to rectify the situation because the Catholic Church's ethos permeates the day-to-day life of most schools the paper added.
In an email circulated to key stakeholders, Fr Michael Drumm, chairman of the Catholic Schools Partnership, referred to the conference saying ''there was a distinct lack of professional educational expertise''.
Fr Drumm went on to add that ''many groups have approached me saying that it would be good if patronage/management and colleges of education made submissions in response to the consultation paper as these would carry some weight in terms of educational expertise''.
Full Story: www.irishcatholic.ie
Irate dad takes son out of school over prayer recital [Independent.ie]
- Published: 27 January 2011
AN IRATE father who withdrew his young son from school after discovering that he was reciting prayers is considering further action against the school for "not sticking to its agreement".
Martijn Leenheer said he was "shocked" to accidentally discover five-year-old Finn had been reciting prayers several times a day at Drumlease Primary School in Dromahair, Co Leitrim, despite the fact that his parents had opted out of Catholic religious instruction for their child.
Finn now attends the Educate Together school in Sligo. But his father, who has outlined his case to the Irish Human Rights Commission, is considering taking his complaint to the Equality Authority or the Ombudsman for Children.
"I feel the school didn't respond to my concerns and they are still not responding to me.
"My belief is that the school should be responsible for supervising children if they want to opt out because the way it stands at the moment, they ask me if I want to opt out, I say, 'yes' and basically nothing happens," he told the Irish Independent.
Dutch-born Mr Leenheer said he and his wife Amanda had been given a "very welcoming" enrolment package when Finn started in the school, close to their home, last September.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Launch of the Implementation Body Website by Minister of State, Dara Calleary T.D. [finance.gov.ie]
- Published: 27 January 2011
The Minister of State for Public Service Transformation, Dara Calleary T.D., today launched the website of the Implementation Body of the Croke Park Agreement. The Minister stated:
“The Croke Park Agreement has ensured that public services have been maintained and in some cases expanded despite very significant reductions in pay and resources. In cooperating with the Croke Park Agreement, the Government recognises that public servants have put the interests of citizens first.
I am pleased to launch the website for the Implementation Body, which sets out the achievements of the Croke Park Agreement. The information on the website will include quarterly reports on progress, including actual cash savings, costs avoided, improved and reformed services and internal efficiencies. The website will also indicate the further efficiencies and service reforms for 2011.”
The Minister outlined a number of the key specific achievements that have occurred under the Croke Park Deal:
The Government has saved €1.8bn from the public service paybill in 2010 with minimal industrial disruption.
Public service numbers have fallen by 12,000 (on a whole time equivalent basis) over the 18 months to autumn 2010, with a further 2,000 people leaving the HSE by end year under the voluntary exit schemes.
The fall in management grades has been particularly pronounced, with a 10% reduction in the civil service alone since 2008.
Teachers will be spending more time teaching because there will be fewer instances when teachers have to take time out for activities like training and parent meetings.
There is greater access to services on-line (24/7 365 days per year from people’s own homes) and more opportunity to access information about and interact with public services electronically, rather than having to take time off work and come in person to an office.
Full Story: www.finance.gov.ie
Strategies to Tackle Primary Curriculum Overload
- Published: 27 January 2011
Press Release
Strategies to Tackle Primary Curriculum Overload
In order to overcome the challenge of finding additional time in the primary school curriculum for literacy and numeracy, a more creative, integrated approach is required for the teaching of certain subjects. Finding more time for literacy and numeracy doesn’t always mean spending less time on other subjects, but instead combining subject areas and teaching methods that complement each other.
Internet, Skype and email on the curriculum at forward-looking Tipp school [nationalist.ie]
- Published: 26 January 2011
The 87 pupil school boasts a state-of-the art computer education room that many schools would envy and recently received nearly E6000 funding from the Department of Education to purchase more computers as teaching aids in the general classrooms. It's one example of how the six teacher rural primary school is punching above its size in education and extra-curricular activities with students achieving awards in handwriting and cross country and aiming to achieve the School's third Green Flag for environmental awareness this year.
Principal Alice Flynn said people are surprised when they visit because of the amount of facillities this small rural school has for students.
She says education in the use of Information Technology is an important part of the curriculum from Junior Infants to 6th class.
"The computer room, which has 12 computers, hosts daily computer classes. Each classroom has an inter-active white board and pupils readily use the Internet for research and study purposes.
"Pupils' work is also actively promoted on the school's website, www.cappwhitens.ie, and we also recently registered to receive Digital School status," Ms Flynn outlined.
Alongside this, she says first and second class pupils have established e-learning links with a primary school in St. Louis, Missouri. They e-mail students at the US school and are planning to use Skype and a webcam to talk to them directly.
Ms Flynn stressed that Cappawhite NS is equally proud of the academic achievement of its students with high results scored in all areas of the curriculum.
Full Story: www.nationalist.ie
