Indo defends controversial sponsorship [sbpost.ie]
- Published: 17 January 2010
Independent Newspapers is seeking a meeting with the main primary teachers’ union to discuss teachers’ objections to a schools programme it has launched with the support of Bank of Ireland, The Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO), whose code stipulates that school-based promotions must be purely philanthropic, described the scheme - and any similar ones - as ‘‘exploitative’’.
Full Story: www.sbpost.ie
New quality marks for third-level institutions [sbpost.ie]
- Published: 17 January 2010
The government is introducing a new ‘quality mark’ for every third-level institution in the country - including universities and institutes of technology. The institutions will have to comply with a code of practice in order to market themselves under the quality mark, according to new legislation that got the green light at cabinet last week.
The code of practice will apply to all higher education colleges, further education colleges or any English language college which wants to use the quality mark. The move is part of efforts by the government to get more overseas students to study here.
Full Story: www.sbpost.ie
Teachers told not to make up for lost classes outside hours [tribune.ie]
- Published: 17 January 2010
One of the state's largest teaching unions is to advise its members not to "make up" any classes missed by students sitting their Leaving or Junior Certificate next summer outside normal school hours.
In a reflection of the ongoing anger among teachers arising out of the recent budget, the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) says alternative ways of making up classes must be found from within the school timetable.
However, its approach is likely to prove controversial among both students and their parents, as they endeavour to make up for classes missed due to school closures in the recent bad weather.
Full Story: www.tribune.ie
Minister rules out ‘ethnic profiling’ of people questioned by gardaí [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 16 January 2010
I HAVE been asked by the Minister for Integration, John Curran, to respond to your news brief headlined ‘Ethnic profiling in Ireland’ (January 13).
In it, the Nasc Irish Immigrant Support Centre claimed the EU Minorities and Discrimination Report demonstrated that An Garda Síochána is employing what is known as "ethnic profiling" in deciding who should be stopped and questioned and suggests that the gardaí should introduce a system of recording the ethnic origin of every person stopped and questioned so that subsequent analysis could prove or disprove the use by gardaí of ethnic profiling in their daily work.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
Cervical cancer vaccine for 30,000 girls [IrishTimes]
- Published: 16 January 2010
UP TO 30,000 girls in first year in secondary school are to be offered the cervical cancer vaccine from later this year, Minister for Health Mary Harney has announced.
The Minister also announced yesterday that preparations would begin for the implementation of a new national colorectal screening service to come into effect in 2012.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
