Green Party accused of U-turn on fees [Independent.ie]
- Published: 18 August 2009
THE Green Party last night faced accusations it has performed a U-turn and now supports the reintroduction of third-level fees.
But the party's deputy leader Mary White said she was wrongly named as being in support of fees.
The country's student unions yesterday listed TDs it claimed were backing the return of college fees. But the Carlow-Kilkenny TD said her position on fees has not altered, and she was still opposed to their return.
"The Green Party policy is we are opposed to fees and I am opposed to fees," she told the Irish Independent.
Full Story: http://www.independent.ie/education/latest-news/green-party-accused-of-uturn-on-fees-1862330.html
High scorers signing up to try again [Independent.ie]
- Published: 18 August 2009
A NEW class of student has emerged following the first round of CAO offers -- the repeat HPAT (Health Professions Admission Test) student.
One of the first to sign up is Finbarr English from Cashel, Co Tipperary, who scored a very impressive 580 points in the Leaving Certificate but did not do well enough in the HPAT test to study medicine.
His combined Leaving Certificate and HPAT scores total of 709 was six points shy of the 715 needed for medicine in UCC, so now the 18-year-old is planning to repeat the aptitude test next year.
Full Story: http://www.independent.ie/
Changes in primary teaching numbers are reflected by CAO [Independent.ie]
- Published: 17 August 2009
THE loss of job opportunities in teaching this year did not deter the Leaving Certificate high-fliers from pursuing a career in the classroom.
A virtual across-the-board increase in points for the general BEd has set a points headline of 480*. The typical rise in points for teaching this year was five, but in one case there was no change from last year.
The much publicised increase in class sizes to come into effect next month, and other budgetary savings, will impact on teaching jobs for the foreseeable future. A revised formula for allocating teachers to schools from next month reverses a trend of recent years when the Government was gradually reducing class sizes.
It means there will be about 1,000 fewer primary teachers than if it was last year and, even allowing for retirements, the Irish National Teachers Organisation predicts that about 1,000-1,200 of this year's graduates will be unable to get jobs.
Full Story: http://www.independent.ie/
Rise in applicants hikes points [Independent.ie]
- Published: 17 August 2009
A total of 73,982 individuals applied to CAO this year, up about 5,173 on 2008 figure of 68,809. This was an exceptionally steep increase of 7.5pc.
There was concern that the CAO record rise in application figures might result in some points rises, and in certain areas, the fears of some applicants were justified. But an analysis of the points tables overall today shows some points rises, some drops and some staying the same.
Of the 826 honours degree programmes on the Level 8 list, over 380 showed points increases, more than 252 showed drops, and about 83 remained the same. Some courses are not comparable, and a few courses made no offers in round one.
Full Story: http://www.independent.ie/
Lunch prayer principal could face jail [NZHerald]
- Published: 17 August 2009
FLORIDA, United States - A school principal and an athletics director in northern Florida face up to 6 months in jail for offering a mealtime prayer, reports the Washington Times.
The criminal charges carry up to a $5,000 fine (NZ$7,400) and a six-month jail term.
Pace High School Principal Frank Lay and school athletic director Robert Freeman will go on trial 17 September at a federal district court in Pensacola for breaching the conditions of a lawsuit settlement reached last year with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
An ACLU official said the school district has allowed "flagrant" violations of the First Amendment for years.
Full Story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/education/news/article.cfm?c_id=35&objectid=10591335
