Tánaiste launches consultation process on reform of junior cycle [education.ie]
- Published: 21 April 2010
The Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Ms. Mary Coughlan, T.D., today launched a consultation process on reform of the junior cycle in second level schools. The consultation is being undertaken by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment ("NCCA"). The public consultation was launched at conference hosted by the Tánaiste, organised by the Council, and attended by teaching, school management, parent, higher education, media and industry representatives.
At the conference, the NCCA is presenting a discussion paper, Innovation and Identity: Ideas for a new Junior Cycle, which is available on the website www.ncca.ie. The paper sets out a range of possible directions for reform ranging from small to medium to significant levels of change. The objective of the consultation is to generate a debate in the coming months on the future shape of junior cycle education.
As part of the consultation process, the NCCA will also gather feedback from its close collaboration with a network of schools. Continuing analysis of international practice, together with a report of research into the use standardised testing at this level of the system in other countries, will also inform developments. No specific proposals will be made until the feedback from the consultation phase has been considered.
Full Story: www.education.ie
O'Rourke seeks date for referendum [IrishTimes]
- Published: 21 April 2010
FIANNA FÁIL TD Mary O’Rourke has called on the Government to set a date for a referendum on children’s rights, but Taoiseach Brian Cowen refused to commit to a date when pressed by the Opposition in the Dáil yesterday.
Ms O’Rourke, who chaired the cross-party committee that produced the report proposing a referendum that could result in a new article 42 in the Constitution, said she wanted the referendum to take place this year.
“We honoured the task we were given, now I hope that Government is going to honour the task it told the electorate it was going to do,” she said.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Majority of young internet users not monitored by parents, survey finds [dundalkdemocrat.ie]
- Published: 21 April 2010
There are a number of things which raise controversial issues, such as the Internet's role in education, children uploading personal information onto the Internet, and a big one, the nature of online material.
There are a lot of areas and websites on the internet where children or teenagers may come across harmful or innapropriate material, and most of the time, their parents are completely unaware.
St. Vincent de Paul calls for school [waterford-today.ie]
- Published: 21 April 2010
St. Vincent de Paul calls for school textbook changes to be curtailed as more schools seek its assistance
The impact of the cuts in education in recent budgets is resulting in more and more families, and now schools, approaching the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) for financial assistance.
To help alleviate the hardship on families the SVP is asking teachers and publishers not to introduce or recommend new textbook changes for the school year beginning next September.
The SVP will provide in the region of €3.5m in assistance with education costs this year. In the past this assistance would have primarily been directed to families but increasingly schools are being assisted. This is borne out by a survey published this week by the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland that shows that over 50% of the schools surveyed have had to seek additional funding from increasing 'voluntary contributions' by parents or from other sources such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
Full Story: www.waterford-today.ie
26,000 at private schools at a cost of €100m to taxpayer [IrishTimes]
- Published: 20 April 2010
Parents are still able to pay €6,000-plus fees despite the recession
THE NEW enrolment figures for fee-paying schools will raise further questions about State support for private education.
Despite the recession, the figures show that huge numbers of parents are still able to pay expensive fees for over 26,000 pupils.
In all, private fee-paying schools enjoy a fee income of over €100 million per year.
Most fee-paying schools charge fees of over €6,000 per year, with boarding schools charging up to €16,000 per year.
In addition, they received over €100 million in support from the taxpayer in 2008/9.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
