Boys guilty of grabbing girl (8) in rape attempt [Herald.ie]
- Published: 25 May 2010
A pair of primary school boys yesterday became two of the youngest sex offenders in Britain after being found guilty of the attempted rape of an eight-year-old girl.
The boys, who are aged 10 and 11 and cannot be named, were convicted after a two-week trial at the Old Bailey during which the court heard how they had lured their victim to secluded spots near their homes in Hayes, west London.
They forced her to remove her underwear and tried to have sex with her. The defence claimed the whole thing was simply childish sexual experimentation -- "that age-old game, doctors and nurses".
Full Story: www.herald.ie
Thousands fret over student grants [Independent.ie]
- Published: 25 May 2010
THOUSANDS of students still do not know if they will get higher education maintenance grants in the current academic year -- even though some have already finished their studies.
Startling new figures show that 3,436 applicants are still awaiting decisions by vocational education committees (VEC) on their grant applications.
The figures for the VECs are on top of the 1,960 applications that local authorities were still considering at the end of March.
The figures were described last night as "astonishing" by incoming Union of Students in Ireland president Gary Redmond, who said there were "horror" stories this year of vulnerable students who were in serious hardship because of delays in getting their grants.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Rugby hero lines out to help local school [Independent.ie]
- Published: 25 May 2010
MUNSTER and Ireland rugby star Tomas O'Leary was buried in a scrum of school pupils as he returned a favour to an old coach.
But it was O'Leary's background in hurling rather than rugby that took him to a national school in Glanmire, Co Cork, yesterday to help launch a sports and healthy eating initiative.
Brooklodge National School pupils were delighted to get the chance to fire a few questions at the Grand Slam winner.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Minister Haughey launches Celebrating Lifelong Guidance for the Adult Education Guidance Initiative [education.ie]
- Published: 25 May 2010
Seán Haughey TD, Minister for Lifelong Learning today launched Celebrating Lifelong Guidance for the Adult Education Guidance Initiative – AEGI
The event took place at the Department of Education and Skills Clock Tower Conference Centre in Marlborough Street, Dublin.
This Overarching Research Report being launched today looks back on the first six years of the AEGI.
This was a period of great development and growth for the AEGI and this Report is very positive about that process and that period.
Since its establishment 10 years ago, the National Centre for Guidance in Education - NCGE, the central co-ordination point for the AEGI has shown that it is an invaluable service to adult learners and has rightfully gained a well-deserved reputation for excellence.
Throughout the country, 40 individual AEGI services provide excellent support to almost 40,000 further education learners each year.
Full Story: www.education.ie
A new school of thought needed [Independent.ie]
- Published: 24 May 2010
The case of British science teacher Peter Harvey, who was acquitted last month of attempted murder of a pupil who he beat with a 3kg dumbbell while shouting "die, die, die", has highlighted the problems that teachers face in controlling classrooms.
The 14-year-old who was set upon by the teacher had disrupted the class nine times before the attack. The judge in the case acknowledged that the strains of teaching and mounting misbehaviour by his pupils had precipitated the teacher's problems with stress and depression.
School discipline is also a big problem here, and only last month the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) carried out a behaviour and attitudes survey among members about the issue. Eighty-one per cent of teachers said that discipline issues had resulted in an increased workload in the past five years, with the recession adding to behaviour problems in the class.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
