Save our small schools by applying good practice rather than cuts [IrishTimes]
- Published: 29 December 2011
OPINION: FROM THE start of next year, small schools across the country with four teachers or fewer will start to close, robbing local communities of a vital part of their identity and jeopardising our high standards of primary school education.
Phased adjustments announced by the Government in the budget will be made to the staffing schedules for one-, two-, three- and four-teacher primary schools with fewer than 86 pupils.
In many cases, small schools are the last remaining element of organised public service as Garda stations, post offices and grocery shops disappear one by one.
It is regrettable that the Department of Education and Skills considers our network of rural schools superfluous and financially unviable. Recent research by Jim Spinks, research fellow at Melbourne University on behalf of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network, shows that schools with four teachers or fewer are as financially viable as medium-sized schools with between eight and 15 teachers.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Memorial Committee pursuing the erection of a Memorial to Victims of Institutional Abuse [education.ie]
- Published: 28 December 2011
The Memorial Committee is pursuing the erection of a Memorial to victims of institutional abuse as recommended in the Ryan Report. A budget of up to €0.5 million is being set aside for the project.
Following a consultation process with survivor groups and interested parties the Committee launched the competition at the end of July with a closing date of 13th October 2011. This first stage of the competition process invited expressions of interest outlining the concepts/approach by the applicants of the nature, medium and format through which the memorial is to be delivered.
Thirty two expressions of interest were received. The jury for the competition comprised the Memorial Committee and
- Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence against Children;
- Brian O’ Doherty, New York based, Irish born artist, sculptor and film maker;
- Pat Cooney, Principal Architect, Office of Public Works (OPW), and
- Vivienne Roche, sculptor and co-founder National Sculpture Factory, Cork.
Full Story: www.education.ie
DES Circular 0073/2011 [education.ie]
- Published: 28 December 2011
Outrage as school faces losing third teacher over ratio change [Independent.ie]
- Published: 23 December 2011
OISIN Foley's parents faced a serious dilemma in September -- their son was only going to be four in October but their local school needed him to enrol, for the numbers.
The Foleys decided to send Oisin to Fybough National School near Castlemaine in Co Kerry, a three-teacher school that needed every child it could get to make sure it had 49 children enrolled to qualify for its third teacher.
Now, because of changes to the pupil/teacher ratio announced in the Budget, the Foleys' gesture may have been in vain.
The Government has retrospectively raised the number of pupils needed to qualify for three teachers from 49 to 51 and now Fybough National School and an estimated 100 other rural schools face the prospect of losing a teacher.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Give a child a book for Christmas, urges IPPN
- Published: 22 December 2011
The Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN), the professional body representing over 3,350 primary school leaders, has urged parents to give their children a book for Christmas to help cultivate a love of reading.
Seán Cottrell, IPPN Director, said giving children electronic or paperback books is an investment in their early-stage development, with strong knock-on implications for character formation, reading and comprehension abilities in later life.
‘This festive season, IPPN encourages parents and extended family members doing the last of the Christmas shopping to consider buying a book for the children on their list.
‘Books are a window on the world which can fire a child’s imagination, help them to absorb and understand information, and develop reading and writing skills in those crucial formative years.
‘Parents and other family members can help their child to appreciate books and share with them the magic of stories in what can become an interactive and enjoyable experience,’ said Mr Cottrell.
His call comes as figures from the latest Programme for International Student Assessment ranks Ireland 17th out of 34 OECD countries for literacy.
‘Improving literacy standards is best achieved when reading becomes part of everyday life and not confined to the classroom.
‘Clearly, our ranking in reading literacy needs to improve and simple gestures like giving a child a book for Christmas can help to ensure that the graph goes in the right direction over the coming years,’ said Mr Cottrell.
IPPN President Gerry Murphy said libraries are far more than just places to borrow books.
‘Catering for a huge diversity of reader, libraries hold regular author readings, exhibitions and writing competitions, among other activities.
‘The library service, which is vastly underutilised, is a tremendous resource to parents and communities throughout the country.
‘For an annual fee of about 50c per child, a trip to the library opens up a whole new world of reading and learning at virtually no cost.
‘It is very encouraging to hear children in fifth class saying that the Harry Potter films were okay but not a patch on the books,’ said Mr Murphy.
He said today’s books come with amazing graphics and illustrations, pop-up characters and plotlines to cater for all tastes.
‘There is no greater habit to develop in a child than a love of reading and, borrowed or bought, a book is a gift that keeps on giving,’ said Mr Murphy.
ENDS
