Teachers fear for pupils' safety [dublinpeople.com]
- Published: 11 March 2010
TEACHERS are warning that the safety and welfare of pupils in Ballymun and Finglas may be at risk because a scheme that provides vetted substitute teachers to the 22 primary schools in the area has been axed.
The Teacher Supply Panel, which was first piloted in Ballymun and Finglas 17 years ago, has been shelved as part of another savage budget cut. And a local school principal told Northside People that the welfare and safety of pupils could be compromised as a result.
Ten substitute teachers who were based at St Joseph’s Junior National School in Ballymun and St Kevin’s Boys’ School in Finglas and have provided qualified, vetted and trusted cover to the schools will lose their jobs as a result of the cutback.
Full Story: www.dublinpeople.com
The lessons of 'grade inflation' [IrishTimes]
- Published: 11 March 2010
Madam, – The current discussion on grade inflation brings back fond memories of when I taught in a third-level college in Ireland in the 1980s. The EU had given money to finance students who wished to proceed from a two-year certificate course to a third year of study which would result in the award of a diploma.
However, there was a problem. None of the students who had completed the two-year course had received the necessary marks to allow them to proceed to the third year. No problem: at the examination board meeting, the head of the college decided that the grades of all the students should be increased to the required entry level for the diploma course.
Instant grade hyperinflation was necessary to “get the EU money.” – Yours, etc,
Dr JAMES QUINN,
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Further Learning Higher Education Postgraduate Corporate Training International 2,000 special needs teaching jobs face axe [learningireland.ie]
- Published: 11 March 2010
THE likelihood of special needs assistants (SNAs) being withdrawn from thousands of children in schools will be strengthened by a recommendation from An Bord Snip Nua to cut their numbers by almost a fifth. The board suggested the number of SNAs who help pupils with special needs be cut by 2,000 to 8,500. It pointed out that some schools keep SNAs after the child they are assigned to leaves the school or no longer needs their help.
But a number of reviews are already under way into the 10,500 SNA jobs, which cost around €350 million this year. A value-for-money audit on the service is being carried out by the Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has also carried out a review.
Full Story: www.learningireland.ie
Shock level of bullying of Northern Ireland's special needs pupils [belfasttelegraph.co.uk]
- Published: 11 March 2010
Children with disabilities and special educational needs experience high levels of bullying at schools in Northern Ireland, according to a new report.
More than 900 pupils with special needs across Ulster contributed to the It’s Good to Listen report, launched yesterday at the Ramada Hotel in Belfast.
The project was undertaken by the five education and library boards, the Staff Commission for Education and Library Boards and the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) to examine pupils’ attitudes to school and the extent of their participation and inclusion in school life.
Full Story: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Reduction In Catholic Schools Provision [IrishTimes]
- Published: 10 March 2010
Figures Came From Report For Bishops On Primary Schools
THE BASIS for a projected 50-60 per cent reduction in Catholic schools provision, mentioned in a speech by the Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe last Friday, was a document prepared on behalf of the Catholic bishops.
The document, Factors Determining School Choice: Report on a Survey of the Attitudes of Parents of Children attending Catholic Primary Schools in Ireland, was published in April 2008 by the Irish Bishops Conference, a spokesman for the Minister said yesterday.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
