Private Sector Can Provide Solutions to Unspent Education Budget
- Published: 09 October 2009
Almost half of all architects, quantity surveyors and engineers have been made redundant due to the recent decline of the construction industry. Meanwhile, the Department of Education and Science has been unable to process the expenditure of the budget it was given for school buildings in 2009. To mitigate the risk of this budget being returned to the Department of Finance, the Irish Primary Principals' Network (IPPN) is recommending that Minister O'Keeffe enables his department to outsource this work to the 100s of firms that are shedding key construction professionals. Today, IPPN Director Seán Cottrell said "By contracting experienced private sector firms, the pressure on the Department's Building Unit can be relieved. This will ensure that the 2009 budget for school buildings will be distributed to projects by fast-tracking them through the final stages of approval."
In a survey of Principals conducted by IPPN this morning, 89 schools are currently awaiting the final go ahead from the Department's Building Unit to invite tenders and commence development. It will be a tragedy if these schools lose out on the opportunity to build or extend, not because of the lack of finance, but due to the lack of capacity to complete the approval process.
ENDS
Minister to pay for classroom laptops with building funds [Independent.ie]
- Published: 09 October 2009
MILLIONS of euro earmarked for school building this year is to be diverted to pay for long-overdue computers in schools. A storm erupted yesterday when it emerged that the Department of Education has, so far, spent only 52pc of the 2009 school building budget.
It sparked fury among the 1,200 schools currently seeking approval to go ahead with major building projects -- some of them waiting for years. Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe pledged yesterday to spend all of this year's capital budget, but hasn't said how.
Full Story: http://www.independent.ie
Cross curricular resources [PPDS.ie]
- Published: 09 October 2009
Cross curricular teaching approaches, such as active learning, differentiation, integration, and assessment are key to effective teaching and learning. Click here to access a variety of resources to support you in these areas.
Full Story: http://ppds.ie/
School split between two sites waiting 11 years for extension [Independent.ie]
- Published: 09 October 2009
WHEN principal John Gunnell wants to get from fifth class to junior infants, he often gets into his car or on his bike.
Alternatively, he walks the one kilometre that separates his divided school. The 220 pupils at Scoil Bhride, Rathdowney, Co Laois, are split between two buildings at either end of the midlands town.
Senior pupils are housed in a century old convent school off the main street, and the junior school is on the town's outskirts. It is 11 years since the two schools amalgamated, with an extended building on the larger site promised to accommodate all pupils in a modern setting.
Full Story: http://www.independent.ie
Revised procedures in relation to professional competence issues and general disciplinary matters [DES Circular 0060/2009]
- Published: 09 October 2009
I am writing to advise you that following discussions that took place under the terms of the Towards 2016 Agreement between the managerial authorities of schools, the teacher unions and the Department of Education & Science, revised procedures in relation to professional competence issues and general disciplinary matters have been agreed.
I would be obliged if you would arrange to have these brought to the attention of Principals and teachers in the normal way
cf. http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/cl0060_2009.doc
