O'Keeffe hails creativity, innovation of students [IrishTimes]
- Published: 15 January 2010
MINISTER'S VISIT: MINISTER FOR Education and Science Batt O’Keeffe has praised students for the “innovation and creativity” shown in projects at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition , under way at the RDS in Dublin.
“It showed that the teachers and the schools are applying the knowledge economy,” he said yesterday during a visit to the exhibition. He visited a large number of stands and talked to the students about their projects.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Irish people prefer an approachable leadership [IrishTimes]
- Published: 15 January 2010
The Irish Times Ernst and Young Business studies series: Week one: Leadership and management
EARLIER THIS week students enjoyed one of the rarest and most wonderful events that can happen in school life – snow days!
However, Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe came under severe fire for his original decision to keep schools closed for the first three days of the week as forecast weekend blizzards failed to materialise in many parts of the country. At the same time, his reversal was slammed by opposition party Fine Gael as a “humiliating climbdown”.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Fifth of Scots have literacy issues, now funds are cut [timesonline.co.uk]
- Published: 14 January 2010
As MSPs convened at Holyrood to discuss the shocking revelation that a fifth of Scots have difficulty reading, it emerged last night that key literacy services in Edinburgh have suffered a 30 per cent funding cut in the last two years — this in a World City of Literature.
Edinburgh councillors face budget cuts of up to £90 million over the next three years, and last night campaigners warned that officials had proposed a 6.5 per cent cut in funds for community learning and development.
Full Story: www.timesonline.co.uk
Minister 'cannot force schools to make up on lost days' [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 14 January 2010
The Department of Education have said they can only direct a school to make up the days if it was the board of management's decision to close.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
When the carrot becomes the stick . . . [Independent.ie]
- Published: 14 January 2010
The news that 99pc of packed lunches are nutritionally unbalanced came as a stark statistic this week. Researchers at Leeds University in the UK found that crisps, sweets and sugary drinks take precedence over fruit, vegetables and dairy products in school children's lunchboxes.
That's bad enough in a country where half of all children can at least avail of nutritionally-sound school dinners. In Ireland, where school canteens don't exist, a healthy packed lunch is even more important.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
