Details emerge of Budget 2010's brutal education cuts [anphoblacht.com]
- Published: 21 January 2010
Budget 2010 saw yet another attack on one of our most vital public services, education, and in so doing has again foisted most of the burden on disadvantaged and vulnerable students.
This is not the first time such a savage budget was imposed on the education sector, with previous budgets resulting in higher class sizes, increased third-level registration fees, axing of special needs classes and cuts to schools in the most disadvantaged areas in the 26 Counties.
Full Story: www.anphoblacht.com
School SNA posts to go despite review delay [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 20 January 2010
HUNDREDS of children will lose the support of special needs assistants (SNAs) on February 1 even though two-thirds of schools have yet to have their allocation of these staff assessed under a delayed review.
All SNA posts deemed unnecessary were to have been axed from the start of next month, but that date was set by the Department of Education last June when it expected the review to be completed by the end of last year.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
Avoid apostrophe catastrophe [IrishTimes]
- Published: 20 January 2010
SCHOOLMAG COMPETITION: SCRUPULOUS sub-editing is often forgotten in the magazine-making process. Stray apostrophes are spotted but ignored by hassled designers and writers, who assume that someone else will sort it out.
Unfortunately, mistakes have a habit of hanging on for dear life, unless a Terminator is dispatched. Many a Schoolmag has hit the judges’ table corrupted by bad spelling and grammar. It’s like walking the red carpet in a designer dress and killer heels, but with spinach on your teeth.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Promotions ban hurting vulnerable pupils, says union [IrishTimes]
- Published: 20 January 2010
THE PROMOTIONS ban is crippling the day-to-day running of schools and hurting the most vulnerable students, according to the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI).
The union says the ban on filling middle-management posts (assistant principal and special duties posts) makes it impossible for schools to fulfil certain legislative duties. It is threatening the health and safety of students and making it very difficult for schools to deal with such issues as absenteeism and student disruption, the union says.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Poor state of schools shameful - Puttnam [IrishTimes]
- Published: 20 January 2010
THE PHYSICAL infrastructure of many of Ireland’s schools should be a cause for national shame, Lord David Puttnam, the Open University chancellor and a British Labour Party peer, has said.
Lord Puttnam, who lives in Skibbereen, Co Cork, said students and teachers perform better in best built environments and that choices were made here during the boom years to spend money on less worthy projects.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
