NCTE's Simon Grehan on "Midweek" [Scoilnet.ie]
- Published: 08 October 2009
NCTE's Internet Safety Project Officer, Simon Grehan, discusses CyberBullying on the TV3 weekly current affairs programme "Midweek".(Note: streaming video)
Full Story: http://www.tv3.ie
90pc of whiteboards in Irish schools paid for by parents [SiliconRepublic]
- Published: 08 October 2009
Efforts of parents rather than the Government are responsible for 90pc of the interactive whiteboards deployed in Irish schools.
The statistic masks an even deeper threat for schools in deprived areas or in which not all parents can provide or fund technological support, falling into the digital divide.
Two years ago, Education Minister Mary Hanafin TD, announced a €252-million investment plan to put proper computing resources in Irish schools. Since then, not a penny has been spent on the initiative.
Full Story: http://www.siliconrepublic.com
Schools expected to turn away special needs pupils if cuts hit [IrishExaminier.ie]
- Published: 07 October 2009
The Department of Education is expecting schools may refuse to keep pupils with special needs as a cut of at least 10% in staff employed to support them is expected over the coming year.
Reviews into the work of and requirement for special needs assistants (SNAs) are already under way by the department and by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
The Irish Examiner revealed in July that as many as 1,200 of the 10,500 posts in schools last year could be cut from next February, based on the outcome to-date of the NCSE review at one-quarter of the country's 3,900 schools. A value for money (VFM) review by the department of SNA allocations and deployment is expected to be finished before the end of the year.
Full Story: http://www.irishexaminer.com
Principal as Board Secretary [CPSMA]
- Published: 07 October 2009
Under Circular 0079/2007, principals who act as secretary to their Board of Management may be paid an allowance for this duty. Principals wishing to avail of the allowance should complete the Application Form and have it signed by the Chairperson of the Board of Management. On receipt of a completed Application Form, payment of the allowance will be made on a fortnightly basis with salary.
Full Story: http://www.cpsma.ie
Toilet roll call school should be able to make ends meet, insists O'Keeffe [Independent.ie]
- Published: 07 October 2009
EDUCATION Minister Batt O'Keeffe has hit back at a school's decision to ask parents to send toilet paper in with children because of budget cuts.
The minister last night said that he was "really surprised" at the sending of a letter to parents because the "school should be well capable of making ends meet".
He was reacting to the move by a 540-pupil Co Cork primary school principal who told parents she needed to conserve dwindling state funding to meet the educational needs of their children.
Catherine O'Neill, principal of St John's Girls National School, Carrigaline, yesterday said the school had lost grants, such as for books, while voluntary contributions from parents were needed for costs such as insurance and arts and crafts materials.
Full Story: http://www.independent.ie
