Failure to spend school capital allocation a betrayal of children and workers [Labour.ie]
- Published: 08 October 2009
The revelation today that the Fianna Fail Education Minister Batt O'Keefe has spent little more than half of his 2009 budget for new school buildings and other capital projects is absolutely astounding.
There are compelling reasons, on a number of fronts as to why we should be spending this money on improving our school infrastructure. First and foremost, is the fact that thousands of children are being taught in prefabs classrooms or in buildings that are dilapidated, outdated and unsafe. These children deserve better and moreover in this year's budget were promised better.
Full Story: http://www.labour.ie
Education cuts could be reversed at no great cost [IrishTimes.com]
- Published: 08 October 2009
ANALYSIS: Given the priority of Ireland's smart economy, the Green Party may well negotiate a U-turn on the cutbacks, writes SÉAN FLYNN
WHILE THE education cuts were first rolled out by Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe last year, their impact has only been seen in schools from last month.
Special needs classes for children with mild learning disabilities have been closed. Language support teachers have not been reappointed. The increase in class size means bright, young teachers on temporary contracts are gone.
Full Story: http://www.irishtimes.com
Calls to approve capital projects[IrishTimes.com]
- Published: 08 October 2009
The Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) has called on Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe to give the go ahead to essential capital projects in the school building programme after it emerged that the Department has yet to spend €396 million of its budget.
New figures showed just €455 million out of an €841 million capital allocation has been spent this year to modernise schools and provide new buildings.
Defending the figures, the Department of Education said the shortfall was due to savings in the cost of projects, and said many bills had yet to come in.
Full Story: http://www.irishtimes.com
Irish pupils fare badly in list by Eurostat on foreign languages [IrishTimes.com]
- Published: 08 October 2009
ONLY 8 PER cent of Irish secondary school pupils learn two or more languages compared to a European average of more than 60 per cent, according to statistics released by the European Union.
Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU, found almost one in five secondary pupils do not learn any foreign language in Ireland
Figures released by the Department of Education said only 15 per cent of primary schools had access to modern languages.
Eurostat found the highest proportions of students studying two or more foreign languages were in the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Finland.
Full Story: http://www.irishtimes.com
Protesting students bombard O'Keeffe's mobile with calls [Independent.ie]
- Published: 08 October 2009
EDUCATION Minister Batt O'Keeffe will be forced to change his mobile phone number after students played a prank on him yesterday.
Mr O'Keeffe's number had been read out loud by Cork Institute of Technology Students' Union President Gearoid Buckley, who urged the crowd at the Grand Parade to text Mr O'Keeffe to express their opposition to cuts in education.
When Mr O'Keeffe answered his phone, all he could hear were students shouting "No to fees, No to Fianna Fail".
Full Story: http://www.independent.ie
