Schools need reform, not just cutting of costs [IrishTimes]
- Published: 08 October 2011
THIS WEEK, I was talking to someone whose job takes him into schools all over Leinster. He talked about the glazed look that teachers have now, and compared it to what you might see on the faces of doctors and nurses in an overcrowded emergency ward. He talked about the air of barely contained stress teachers exude as they rush from place to place. He suggested it was a profession on the verge of mass burnout.
I know exactly what he is talking about, but glumly await the deluge of abusive e-mails that will follow that opening paragraph. Anna Quindlen, the American author and commentator, once wrote a column for Newsweek in which she suggested teaching is the toughest job there is. I am not suggesting that for a minute.
Being out of work with a mortgage to pay and children to rear beats the stress of teaching every time. Being a social worker who deals with children in care would turn me into a blubbering wreck in a week. I wouldn’t last an afternoon in one of those emergency wards.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Higher education must rise to challenge of reform [IrishTimes]
- Published: 07 October 2011
OPINION: Rankings serve as a wake-up call for higher education
DISAPPOINTING RESULTS in yesterday’s Times Higher Education ( THE) global university rankings, and concern from some employers about the quality of graduates and from higher education institutions at the quality of entrants from school beg a big question: is higher education fit for purpose? There is no doubting the scale of the challenge that is faced.
To the positives first. Our higher education system continues to have high standing nationally and internationally. The THE rankings show we perform well when the universities’ performance relative to our gross domestic product is measured. We come sixth, ahead of Australia, the US, Germany and even Finland (often cited for its excellent education system). This means we get a good return on our investment in higher education.
Other positives include the fact that participation, progression and completion rates compare favourably with other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. A November 2009 report from EU finance ministers ranked Ireland first in Europe in terms of graduates per 1,000 habitants and first in terms of how employers rank our graduates. Ireland is among the countries where universities are regarded by international peers as being “excellent” and recruiters regard them “as providing highly employable graduates”.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
66 per cent of Irish can speak English only [educationmatters.ie]
- Published: 07 October 2011
The report from the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) states that Ireland’s ability to compete internationally is being damaged by the lack of a coherent strategy on the teaching and learning of foreign languages.
According to the report:
- Ireland is the only European Union country, apart from Scotland, where learning a foreign language in school is not compulsory.
- Ireland has the highest proportion of citizens in the EU (66%) who say they do not know any other language apart from their mother tongue.
Kids affected by cyber bullies, nine out of 10 parents say [siliconrepublic.com]
- Published: 07 October 2011
Almost nine in 10 parents say their children have been affected by cyber bullies, a new study by Bitdefender suggests. Some 54pc have been affected to the point of anger, violence, sadness or apathy.
Cyber bullying, defined as threatening, harassing, humiliating, embarrassing or otherwise tormenting others online, has prompted 19pc of the parents interviewed to seek specialised help for their children, according to the survey results.
“The results of this study should send out a very strong message to parents – it’s more vital than ever to take steps towards protecting children from cyber bullying,” said Sabina Datcu, Bitdefender e-threats analysis and communication specialist, and author of the study.
“Parents need to understand the necessity of installing parental control software and of monitoring their teenagers’ activity on social networks and on the internet, in general.”
Full Story: www.siliconrepublic.com
FG TDs criticise Quinn for VEC move [IrishTimes]
- Published: 06 October 2011
THE TWO Fine Gael TDs in Waterford have harshly criticised the decision of Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn to locate the new headquarters for the amalgamated Waterford-Wexford VEC in Co Wexford.
John Deasy and Paudie Coffey have both said the actions of Mr Quinn were motivated by the fact that his Labour colleague and Cabinet colleague, Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin, is based in Wexford rather than on the criteria.
The assertions were rejected by a spokeswoman for the Department of Education who said that the decision was based solely on the criteria that were laid down for the mergers of VECs. A large number of factors had to be taken into account, she said, such as distance employees had to travel to the new headquarters, the availability of accommodation, existing lease arrangements, and the number of schools and educational facilities in the area. She also rejected the contention that the decisions were political.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
