Schools to shut if flu cases hit double digits [Independent.ie]
- Published: 31 August 2009
SCHOOLS will not be closed unless the number of children suffering from swine flu runs into double figures, a senior HSE director said yesterday.
Up to 800,000 primary and secondary students are due to return to class this week and the latest warning comes as anxiety increases over the preparations schools around the country are making to contain any flu outbreaks.
Dr Patrick Doorley, national director of population health with the HSE, said yesterday that schools would only be closed if the numbers infected were "well into double digits".
Full Story: http://www.independent.ie/
Times survey shows many schools are without a head teacher [Times Online]
- Published: 31 August 2009
Schools in half of Britain's education authorities are without a head teacher a week before the new term begins, a survey by The Times suggests.
Experts fear that the approaching retirement of many head teachers, and a growing reluctance among senior staff to become school leaders, could prompt a management crisis.
Heads now have ultimate responsibility for academic achievement, staffing and complying with regulations.
The survey of 36 local authorities found that there were teacher or head teacher vacancies in 20 areas and that more than 100 schools did not have a head teacher. This equates to 527 vacancies across the country, though this may be an underestimate. There were also 526 in January last year, indicating a failure to deal with the issue.
Full Story: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/
Plans to establish 'Q Mark' for colleges and language schools [DES P.R.]
- Published: 30 August 2009
'New structures to draw more overseas students as international market swells' - Minister
The Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe TD, has announced plans to establish a
Quality Mark for English language schools and further and higher education colleges as part of
efforts to get more overseas students to study here.
Minister O'Keeffe said it was his intention to introduce statutory provision for the 'Q Mark' for
international education by the end of next year and qualifying international education programmes
could use it in marketing their courses.
Full Story: www.education.ie
Clarification regarding legitimate use of non pay funding [DES Circular 0049/2009]
- Published: 28 August 2009
In the context of the Budget in October 2008, the Minister for Education and Science indicated that it was his intention to streamline and rationalise the different grant schemes that provide funding to schools. The Minister made this statement having regard to representations and suggestions made to his Department that the grant system should be simplified for ease of administration and that school management should have greater autonomy over the funding provided.
Full Circular: http://www.education.ie
Clarification regarding legitimate use of Capitation funding [DES Circular 0048/2009]
- Published: 28 August 2009
In the context of the Budget in October 2008, the Minister for Education and Science indicated that it was his intention to streamline and rationalise the different grant schemes that provide funding to post-primary schools. The Minister made this statement having regard to representations and suggestions made to his Department that the grant system should be simplified for ease of administration and that school management should have greater autonomy over the funding provided.
Full Circular: http://www.education.ie/
