Tánaiste outlines education and skills detail of Budget 2011 [education.ie]
- Published: 07 December 2010
- Government protects front line education services -
The Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Ms. Mary Coughlan, T.D., today (Tuesday, 7 December 2010) said that Budget 2011 is a budget that recognises the critical role of the education and skills sector to Ireland’s future prospects. She said that while difficult choices had to be made to identify savings across her Department’s remit, the Government had gone as far as it could to protect front line education services in 2011.
“Achieving savings in the education and skills budget is never without difficulty, this is particularly so at a time of growing demographics in our schools and increased demand on our education and skills services. It is clear however that in the context of the unprecedented level of expenditure saving required this year, this Government has chosen to go as far as it can to protect front line education services. We have also chosen to implement savings measures in such a way as to limit their impact on families, and in particular those families that are less well off.”
The 2011 allocation for current expenditure, including from the National Training Fund, will be €8.726 billion while the allocation for capital expenditure will be €491 million. The education measures in the plan account for current expenditure savings next year of some €175 million. Allocations from the National Training Fund will also be reduced and will require more efficient use of resources for training and employment programmes. The 2011 allocation for the Department represents a reduction of €207 million over the equivalent allocation for 2010, the difference arising mainly in relation to capital expenditure.
The savings being implemented in 2011 are spread across the education and skills sector and include the school transport scheme, reductions in public sector numbers, student supports and FÁS training allowances. The specific details of the measures are set out in the attached note.
Full Story: www.education.ie
School-term dates face review following closures due to snow [Independent.ie]
- Published: 03 December 2010
THE chaos caused by the Arctic weather may force a review of the rules governing the school year.
The massive disruption is likely to cause a rethink on whether the school calendar is flexible enough to cater for such unforeseen events.
The issue is expected to come up in talks about to get under way on the Standardised School Year, which dictates opening and closing dates.
Many schools -- closed for a week already -- don't know when they will re-open because the Met office predicts there will be no let-up in the extreme conditions until next Wednesday. If the weather clears by the middle of next week, it will raise questions for some Catholic schools that have arranged to close on December 8, a church holy day.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Why expulsion appeals are failing [Independent.ie]
- Published: 01 December 2010
In recent years parents who challenge the expulsion of their child from secondary school have lost three out of our four cases that go to a full hearing.
Expulsions of post-primary students are rare and are usually for severe or persistent breaches of discipline.
Parents have a legal right, under Section 29 of the Education Act, to appeal the decisions to a special Department of Education committee.
But the latest figures show that parents who pursue cases all the way are overwhelmingly losing the argument.
When a student is expelled, efforts are made to find an alternative place in another school or in Youthreach, a national programme that provides an alternative to mainstream education.
Legislation requires children to remain in education until they reach the age of 16, and the National Educational Welfare Board must be informed of any expulsion.
According to figures obtained from the Department of Education, there were a total of 351 appeals made against expulsion of pupils in the Irish second-level system between 2005 and 2009.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Green Economy to provide opportunities [Independent.ie]
- Published: 01 December 2010
At times like these we are all searching hard for good news, news that encourages us and lifts our spirits in the middle of the gloom. It's particularly important for our young people.
As many parents notice, this generation is becoming very cynical and disillusioned about the future of the country, and about their own future prospects in particular.
It goes without saying that young people represent the future of the country, and we must do our utmost to give them the encouragement and opportunity they need.
There is encouragement that, even within the context of cutbacks in the publicly funded sectors, education is earmarked for continuing growth. Students will be required to make a bigger contribution to third-level costs, which will be a burden for many.
But future growth depends on a skilled and educated workforce, so students should do their best to avail of the opportunities that are out there.
The Green Economy is one of the areas where growth is forecast. The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) has just published a report which identifies the future skills needs of enterprises engaged within the Irish 'green economy' and which proposes a range of measures to drive business and employment growth.
If substantive progress were made, the report anticipates that employment in the sector would rise from 18,750 in 2010 to 29,000 by 2015. Taking into account both 'expansion' and 'replacement', it is believed that around 14,500 employment opportunities would arise over the next five years.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Diary of a schoolteacher: how to read the riot act to complacent parents [Independent.ie]
- Published: 01 December 2010
This year's first parents' night has just passed off without incident, which is a bad thing. What is the point if nobody actually says anything that will make a difference?
I've seen the odd parent, sweating in their overcoat, twitching and shifting in their chair as Mr Prince goes through a litany of offences committed so far this term, but even he knows that after a week or so, Kylie will be back to her old nasty self in class again.
The problem is that schools have become as banal and toothless as the rest of the nation's institutions. It's all Nescafe and digestives when it should be fire and brimstone.
First of all, we should take the initiative in setting the tone by playing the right music from speakers placed on the front of the building so that we set the scene as they arrive at the school. Just one song will do the trick -- the Manic Street Preachers' 'If you tolerate this, your children will be next'. Play it over and over so that they get the message.
Some schools allow parents to bring the child in question with them and some of them will bring the whole brood with them -- this must be stopped.
Teachers are there to read the riot act to the complacent and get revenge, not broker deals. A parent should return from a meeting seething and hell-bent on clearing the family name.
Parents with a score to settle -- because Ciaran didn't get an A in his Junior Cert or Sarah said you never gave back that assignment in September -- need to be reminded who is the expert here and who is the attention seeker.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
