Teachers attack Gordon Brown's 'parent power' plan for schools [timesonline.co.uk]
- Published: 23 February 2010
Teachers' leaders attacked plans set out by Gordon Brown today giving parents the power to demand regime change in struggling schools.
Parents will be given the power to complain to their local council and trigger a ballot of all parents in the school if they are unhappy with the standard of education their children are receiving.
Large education providers and coalitions of private schools, which have achieved good results, will be able to take over the running of those in the state sector that are failing.
Full Story: www.timesonline.co.uk
Balls defends last-minute 'U-turn' on sex education [timesonline.co.uk]
- Published: 23 February 2010
Ed Balls today defended the right of faith schools to teach that contraception, abortion and homosexuality are wrong as campaigners accused him of "betraying" children in faith schools and capitulating to the faith lobby by watering down new laws on sex education.
The Schools Secretary said that schools should be allowed to preserve the right to teach their pupils about sex and relationships in accordance with their own religion despite new legislation making sex education compulsory.
Full Story: www.timesonline.co.uk
Mass union gathering to fight cuts [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 23 February 2010
HUNDREDS of disaffected public sector workers will converge on Galway tomorrow for an update on the ongoing industrial action in protest at the budget pay cuts in the sector.
Unions representing 175,000 of the country’s 300,000 public servants have arranged a mass meeting of members in the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
Teachers can't access online encyclopaedia at home [Independent.ie]
- Published: 23 February 2010
KNOWLEDGE on tap was what Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe promised, but unfortunately the flow is turned off when schools close.
His department last year agreed to pay €450,000 annually to Encyclopaedia Britannica for teachers to access material online.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Saying no to special needs? [IrishTimes]
- Published: 23 February 2010
While Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe insists all children with special needs will be cared for, parents and teachers are nervous about job cuts among special needs assistants
OVER 1,000 POSTS as special needs assistants (SNAs) are set to be abolished as part of a Department of Education review. Some have already lost their jobs. Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe insists all children with special needs will be looked after. But parents and teachers are apprehensive.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
