Conferences — what a waste of money [TimesOnline]
- Published: 27 November 2009
This article will cost the RSA thousands of pounds. Across the course of a year I budget to make the society a tidy sum in speakers’ fees from public sector conferences. But now, as we enter the age of state spending austerity, it is time for me to put principle before payment, to say publicly what I have said to myself on so many different platforms: most of these events are an expensive and stultifying waste of money.
Full Story: www.timesonline.co.uk
‘Sex in class’ teacher arrested [Herald.ie]
- Published: 27 November 2009
A school teacher has been arrested over claims of conducting a sex act with a 15- year-old pupil.
Detectives were today questioning the man in his 50s after a school caretaker reported concerns about his relationship with the girl.
The incident is alleged to have happened in a Co Clare secondary school last week, when the teacher was providing private tuition for the student.
Full Story: www.herald.ie
Teachers resist plan to publish results [Independent.ie]
- Published: 27 November 2009
THE country's 730 second-level schools could be compelled to publish their exam results online in the near future.
Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe is considering either guidelines or regulations obliging them to make a lot more information available to parents, including exam results.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Union demands funding to fulfil school promises [IrishTimes]
- Published: 27 November 2009
THE IRISH National Teachers’ Organisation is demanding fresh funding in the forthcoming budget to implement commitments made in the recent revised programme for government.
In a pre-budget submission to the Minister for Finance, it says these commitments are “worthless without additional funding”.
The union says the commitment to maintain the pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools and to provide 200 extra teaching posts to schools badly affected by recent cuts must be funded in the budget.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Non-fee schools gain ground in college race [IrishTimes]
- Published: 26 November 2009
THE GAP between the performance of fee-paying and non-fee-paying second-level schools is narrowing, according to the latest Irish Times Feeder School List published this morning.
Some 33 of the top 50 feeder schools in the State are not fee-paying.
This represents significant progress by non-fee-paying schools compared to last year, when 60 per cent of schools on the top list were fee-paying.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
