IPPN

Tech expansion in schools high on conference agenda [NZHerald]

Published: 07 October 2009

The Government is to announce the expansion of technology in schools as the issue takes centre stage at an education conference starting today.

Education Minister Anne Tolley is to give a speech this morning opening the ULearn conference in Christchurch, which has attracted about 2000 delegates and 400 national and international speakers to discuss teaching and learning in the 21st century.

Mrs Tolley will call for the education system to "fully commit to the digital age", and will reinforce the Government's commitment to high-speed internet access for all New Zealanders.

Full Story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/education/news/article.cfm?c_id=35&objectid=10601684

Permanent teaching post attracts almost 400 applications [IrishTimes.com]

Published: 07 October 2009

A TEACHING job which attracted almost 400 applications is one of hundreds attracting the same level of interest around the country, according to the principal who had to sift through applications before filling the post last month.

The permanent job at St Joseph's National School in Fermoy, Co Cork, became vacant when one of the staff retired. But principal Anne Fay only realised the crisis facing newly-qualified teachers when the parcels of CVs started to arrive at the school from the local postal sorting office.

Full Story: http://www.irishexaminer.com

Education cutbacks copper-fasten Ireland's poor record in languages [Labour.ie]

Published: 07 October 2009

Recently published statistics on language learning in secondary schools show that almost Ireland lags way behind in the teaching of foreign languages. Almost one in five Irish pupils don't learn any foreign language. Only eight per cent of Irish pupils learn two or more languages compared to a European average of over 60 per cent. This means other European countries have over seven times as many pupils learning two or more foreign languages.

Full Story: http://www.labour.ie/

Vanguard action leaves school little flushed [IrishExaminer.ie]

Published: 07 October 2009

A VAN LOAD of toilet roll has been donated to a school which was forced to ask pupils to bring their own paper in an effort to save on its scarce resources.

The story of the request to parents at St John's Girls' National School in Carrigaline, Co Cork, caught the ears of staff at the factory which makes Kitte nSoft toilet paper in Dublin. The Finglas-based operation of Georgia-Pacific Ireland Ltd dispatched 720 rolls by courier and they arrived at the 540-pupil school yesterday afternoon.

But while the gift will be a help to the school, the publicity surrounding the case could pose further embarrassment for the Government over the extent of the funding cuts to schools. While the capitation grant to primary schools for day to day expenses was increased in the April budget, other grants, such as ones use to buy books and classroom equipment, were abolished.

Full Story: http://www.irishexaminer.com