An Bord Snip Nua - Statement by John Carr, [INTO]
- Published: 16 July 2009
The INTO, the largest teaching union in the country, has warned that the recommendations in the McCarthy report on education will cause devastation in primary schools. The union said any attempt by government to implement those proposals would be firmly resisted by public protest and industrial action.
The general secretary of the primary teachers' union, John Carr described the publication of the report as a black day for primary education. He described the scale of the proposed cutbacks as despicable. "Cutbacks on this scale will put Irish primary education back decades," said Mr Carr.
"McCarthy and his colleagues have failed to recognise that there are no surplus workers in schools. "Ireland has the second highest class sizes in primary schools in the EU," said Carr. "Already a thousand jobs have been axed. Services to special needs children, disadvantaged children and newcomer children have been already been slashed. The McCarthy report bizarrely proposes thousands of additional job losses. It simply cannot be done.
He said the report should be a wake up call for every parent in the country. "This is clear evidence that children are being asked to pay the price of corporate greed and the government's failure to regulate the banking sector effectively," said Mr Carr.
more at: http://www.into.ie/
Run-down schools still waiting for new buildings five years on [Independent.ie]
- Published: 15 July 2009
'Since he (Noel Dempsey) left office, schools have been in the dark'
THE Government's school building programme came under fire last night as the latest list showed dozens of schools still stuck where they were five years ago.
Despite the biggest construction boom in Irish history, sub-standard and overcrowded schools are no nearer to getting a new building -- and don't know when to expect it.
Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe yesterday published details of the €614m 2009 school building programme, providing details of more than 1,300 major projects.
Graduates face debts of up to €31,000 [independent.ie]
- Published: 13 July 2009
College students will have debts of between €20,000 and €31,000 by the time they finish their education, according to a confidential Cabinet document seen by the Sunday Independent.
The report shows that the annual cost for university courses will range between €5,000 and €7,500, while fees for courses at the various institutes of technology will be roughly one third of that.
cf. http://www.independent.ie/education/latest-news/graduates-face-debts-of-up-to-836431000-1818082.html
Major revamp on way for St Pat's [DES P.R.]
- Published: 13 July 2009
13 July, 2009 - Major revamp on way for St Pat's as Minister O'Keeffe moves project to tender
St Patrick's College of Education in Drumcondra, Dublin, is to get a major revamp after the Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe TD, announced that a major campus development project can now go to tender...
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Book Review [LDS]
- Published: 13 July 2009
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Book Review
Restoring the Character Ethic - Stephen R. Covey
Recognized as one of Time magazine's 25 most influential Americans, Stephen R. Covey is an internationally respected leadership authority, family expert, teacher, organizational consultant, and author. He has sold over 20 million books sold (in 38 languages)
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People was named the #1 Most Influential Business Book of the Twentieth Century
Why recommend to Irish school leaders?
Although twenty years old this year, this book is well worth putting in your summer suitcase. The 7 Habits are:
- Be Proactive:
- Begin with the End in Mind:
- Put First Things First:
- Think Win/Win,
- Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood:
- Synergise;
- Sharpen the Saw all of which are relevant to a school leader.
