Voluntary code won't protect children online [waterford-today.ie]
- Published: 24 March 2010
EU guidelines designed to protect children online will not work unless they are made mandatory, an Irish MEP said this week. Speaking in Brussels, Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher said only 20 companies so far have signed up to the Safer Internet Programme introduced across Europe last year.
Google, Bebo, Facebook and MySpace are among the major sites who have agreed to implement the voluntary code of practice, but Mr Gallagher said even these major sites could do more. 'Of those that have signed up, just 40 per cent have agreed to make profiles of under-18s visible only to their friends by default. And, only one out of three of the firms involved in the programme replied to user reports asking for help,' he said.
Full Story: www.waterford-today.ie
'Tough nut' O'Keeffe is promoted to top of the class [Independent.ie]
- Published: 24 March 2010
THE no-nonsense attitude, the spurning of unions and the unfailing willingness to battle for the Government -- it all made Batt O'Keeffe the best boy in the cabinet class.
Having only won promotion to the cabinet table in the summer of 2008, his rise through the ranks, passing out long-serving ministers and Fianna Fail loyalists, is all the more extraordinary.
He now leads the hugely important job-creating department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation and will be responsible for securing jobs for 400,000 unemployed people.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Primary Principals Raise €40k For Haiti Children’s Education [ippn.ie]
- Published: 24 March 2010
In response to a suggestion from Principals attending the annual conference of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN), more than €40,000 has been raised by primary schools for the Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund. The money raised will be specifically targeted towards re-building and equipping primary schools that were devastated by the earthquake. In addition, funds will also be used for health and education programmes in the worst affected areas. IPPN Director, Seán Cottrell said 'attending school has been identified as a crucial therapy for traumatised children. School re-establishes their daily routine and provides a safe place that they can escape to for a few hours every day’.
Full Story: www.ippn.ie
Children must learn it’s not all about them [timesonline.co.uk]
- Published: 23 March 2010
A colleague’s eight-year-old daughter is doing a project at school called “All about me”. It’s the second time in her school career that she’s done a project on herself and she has already run out of baby photographs.
Promoted by a publicly funded industry of consultants, organisations, charities and academics, “All about me” is becoming a central goal of education, claiming to help young people to express and control their own emotions and to understand those of others. Schools can choose from a growing array of courses and activities, such as “circle time”, which is increasingly not story-telling but a therapeutic ritual for exploring feelings and emotional responses. Others set up peer- mentoring and anti-bullying schemes to train older children in rudimentary counselling to support younger ones. Some send staff on expensive training courses on “neuro-linguistic programming”. The organisation Relate works in more than 10,000 schools to “deliver” courses in relationship skills.
Full Story: www.timesonline.co.uk
Teacher's pet [IrishTimes]
- Published: 23 March 2010
An insider's guide to education
THE GRADE inflation controversy is still the main talking point across our third-level colleges.
The big question? Which colleges are unofficially “blacklisted” by the big US multinationals.
Speculation persists that big employers are reluctant to take graduates from some colleges. Identifying the colleges in question is the hot topic among academics when they gather for morning coffee.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
