1,000 teaching jobs to tackle rise in pupils [IrishTimes]
- Published: 14 May 2010
MORE THAN 1,000 teaching posts will be created within the next year as the Department of Education addresses the dramatic increase in the school-going population.
Some 500 teaching posts are currently being filled as part of the revised programme for government but more jobs will become available as the surge in pupil numbers continues.
There are more than one million students in Irish education. This includes over half a million in primary school, over 350,000 at second level and over 155,000 at third level. The number of pupils in primary schools will increase by 70,000 over the next decade.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
No cut to gas bills for schools [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 14 May 2010
THE energy regulator has ruled out any exemption for schools from paying the same gas charges as homes and businesses, despite efforts by the Department of Education.
Minister of State Sean Haughey told the Dáil last week that officials have been pursuing the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), which regulates prices charged by Bord Gáis for gas and ESB for electricity, to seek ways of reducing bills for the country’s 4,000 primary and second-level schools.
But a spokesperson for the CER said that, while schools and others are welcome to seek more competitive prices from other providers whose prices it does not regulate, it is not likely to change its rules.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
Concern over sex education classes [IrishTimes]
- Published: 14 May 2010
Nearly three-quarters of Irish secondary school pupils received no sex education classes last year, according to a survey published today.
The survey - which found poor implementation of the Department of Education's sex education programme at senior cycle - "will not make for pleasant reading for policy makers", Minister for Children and Youth affairs Barry Andrews said.
The Life Skills Matter - Not Just Points survey, carried out by national youth parliament Dáil na nÓg, measured the implementation of the department’s personal development – or Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) - programme and the related Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) programme in schools around the country.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Spiralling pupil numbers prompt fears for services [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 14 May 2010
FEARS have been raised of further cuts to schools and college services as spiralling pupil numbers will require the employment of an additional 1,200 teachers in September.
Primary schools will have to cope with an estimated rise of 4,700 pupils to 510,300 and second-level student numbers are set to increase by 2,200 to above 314,000.
These changes will require 930 extra teachers in classrooms this autumn and add around €30 million to the Department of Education’s annual teacher salary bill.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
Calls to improve sex education [Independent.ie]
- Published: 14 May 2010
Education chiefs have vowed to increase pressure on schools to improve sex education after a survey revealed three-quarters of teenagers are not taught the subject.
The Department of Education said schools are obliged to provide a relationship and sexuality programme to senior pupils and they would be reminded of their commitments, a move backed by The Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland (Asti).
According to a report from Dail na nOg, which surveyed hundreds of teenagers at school, four out of 10 pupils said the classes were not helpful and a third of schools teach Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) as part of religion, the study, called Life Skills Matter - Not Just Points, also revealed.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
