O'Keeffe targets smaller schools for mergers [Independent.ie]
- Published: 22 February 2010
EDUCATION Minister Batt O'Keeffe has signalled a new look at possible amalgamations of small schools in a bid to save money.
The fate of small schools is a hugely sensitive issue in rural Ireland where they are cherished as cornerstones of local communities.
Almost half of our 3,200 primary schools have fewer than 100 pupils, with five teachers or less, and are predominantly in rural areas.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
More pre-fabs bought rather than rented [Independent.ie]
- Published: 22 February 2010
THE number of new rental pre-fab contracts for schools plummeted from 266 in 2008 to just 20 last year.
But there is a long away to go before pre-fabs become a thing of the past as hundreds of schools still have rental contracts.
Others are now opting to buy rather than rent pre-fabs and by the end of last year 557 schools had been approved funding to buy pre-fabs or build a permanent classroom. Of that, 249 schools said that they will buy pre-fabs and 201 will build a permanent classroom. The rest have yet to indicate their preference.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
New institute to boost jobs in Dublin [educationmatters.ie]
- Published: 21 February 2010
The new Citywest Institute of Education is located in Saggart, just off the N7 Naas road, approximately 15km west of Dublin city centre.
The proposal for the development of an International English Language Training College was submitted in January 2009 to the South Dublin County Council Development Plan 2010-2016 by the Mansfield Group.
It was welcomed by the Council at the time and has now come to fruition with the opening of the Institute and the securing of a six and a half year contract with the Ministry of Higher Education, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (MOHE) to tutor Saudi students in English.
Full Story: www.educationmatters.ie
Resource to give teachers an insight into business [sbpost.ie]
- Published: 21 February 2010
A teaching resource, which is designed to provide an insight into the world of business, has been launched by Batt O’Keeffe, the Minister for Education and Science.
The latest edition of The Sunday Business Post Business 2000 teachers’ resource, which is in its 13th year, is a multimedia resource designed to assist teachers of Leaving Certificate business, economics and accountancy courses.
Full Story: www.sbpost.ie
Schools must reflect society's secular nature [IrishTimes]
- Published: 20 February 2010
The majority of new or refurbished schools are Catholic, despite a growing demand for non-religious education, writes GARRET FITZGERALD
THE SHIFT away from religion among our younger generation is evident from the recent rapid increase in civil marriages, the proportion of which rose between 1996 and 2006 from 5 per cent to 23 per cent, and this year will probably be about 30 per cent.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
