Decision to reopen rests with schools [IrishTimes]
- Published: 12 January 2010
SCHOOLS: MANY SCHOOLS are expected to reopen today after Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe reversed an earlier decision to keep schools closed for the first three days of the week because of the cold snap.
The Minister’s volte face was welcomed by primary school managers but slated by Fine Gael as a “humiliating climbdown”.
The majority of schools in Dublin are expected to reopen today but many schools in counties affected by snow are leaving it until tomorrow to resume. The overall situation is hard to assess because the decision on whether to open or close now rests again with individual schools.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Schools to pay for absences [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 12 January 2010
SCHOOLS will have to foot the bills for teacher absences where staff are unable to return for classes which are resuming earlier than expected this week, according to Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe.
The minister yesterday reversed Friday’s decision that all schools should stay closed until Thursday.
Most schools are expected to open in regions around the east coast, where higher temperatures have continued a thaw that began on Sunday.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
Cash-strapped parents miss out on year of free childcare [Independent.ie]
- Published: 12 January 2010
THOUSANDS of parents have not signed up for the Government's free pre-school year for children as the new term starts today.
It is estimated that around 30,000 children eligible to attend pre-school every day for free for a year are missing out following a poor uptake of the scheme.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Immigrant pupils need new state schools, says OECD [Independent.ie]
- Published: 12 January 2010
A LEADING international think-tank has proposed that the Government set up new state-run primary schools to better cater for the new multi-ethnic pupil population.
The new state schools could even take over some existing primary schools, the majority of which are run by the Catholic Church. The radical proposals are contained in a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), which suggests that the present system of individual patron bodies running 3,300 primary schools is out of date.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Schools to re-open as cost of the cold snap hits €700m [Independent.ie]
- Published: 12 January 2010
MANY schools will re open today after Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe reversed his earlier decision to close them for a week.
However, a new survey published today will reveal that the cost of the bad weather and absenteeism from work has soared to €700m.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
