The days when the height of a child's ambition was to be a fireman, garda, train driver or nurse are gone . . . these kids are shooting for the stars [Independent.ie]
- Published: 23 September 2011
SHOWS like 'The X Factor' with a focus on celebrity culture have taken over children's ambitions.
It seems that 50pc of boys fancy themselves as a big-name soccer or rugby player, while 36pc of girls see a glittering stage or screen career ahead in singing, acting or dancing.
These are among the main findings of new research on the experiences and perceptions of nine-year-olds in Ireland today, launched by Children's Minister Frances Fitzgerald yesterday.
It is based on in-depth interviews with children from all socio-economic backgrounds, seeking to get behind the facts and figures from an earlier survey of 8,500 nine-year-olds by the same researchers.
The 'Growing Up in Ireland' study, being carried out at Trinity College Dublin, is the most significant piece of research ever carried out on children in Ireland.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Review 'to name failing schools' [belfasttelegraph.co.uk]
- Published: 22 September 2011
Education Minister John O'Dowd has remained tight-lipped on the blueprint for the future of his sector, which he is set to unveil in a major speech to the Assembly on Monday.
But it is understood the minister's address will herald efforts to tackle a range of inter-linked issues including educational under-achievement, falling pupil numbers, plus plans to encourage state and Catholic-maintained schools to co-operate or even amalgamate.
Schools seeking new builds will also have to meet criteria set down for developing an education network that meets the needs of local areas and is capable of providing high-level education into the future.
85,000 empty desks crisis to see Northern Ireland's failing schools shut down [belfasttelegraph.co.uk]
- Published: 22 September 2011
A process to identify failing schools earmarked for closure has begun as the full dire financial situation of our education system is revealed.
The Department of Education is struggling to implement £300m of budget cuts, and authorities including the library boards and the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS), have now been asked to draw up a list of schools which are not viable.
It comes as it is unveiled that there are now a staggering 85,000 empty desks in Northern Ireland’s schools. Previously, the number had been estimated at 50,000. It is also understood that schools here will have run up debts of £100m by 2014.
Full Story: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Editor's Viewpoint: Education is in dire need of an overhaul [belfasttelegraph.co.uk]
- Published: 22 September 2011
Education Minister John O'Dowd, undoubtedly, has one of the toughest jobs in the Executive.
He is set to unveil his blueprint for the future of the sector on Monday, but the range of challenges facing him is enormous and pressing. Whatever his vision for the future, it is bound to attract criticism as education is replete with vested interests determined to protect their own niches.
Like other big-spending departments, education is facing a serious shortfall in its budget, losing £700m over the next four years. It is estimated that some 20% of schools are already in debt and that figure is rising. Add into the mix the current over-supply of teachers, the huge number of empty desks in schools, possibly as many as 85,000, and the shocking figure of 4,000 pupils who leave school each year without achieving five good GCSE qualifications.
Teachers' unions form partnership [Herald.ie]
- Published: 22 September 2011
Unions representing 375,000 teachers across the UK have launched an "historic" partnership aimed at strengthening their links ahead of the "challenges" they face.
The unions - the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Ulster Teachers' Union (UTU) - agreed to work as partners in future campaigns.
They said that teachers faced the same challenges despite the differing education systems in parts of the country.
Many teachers are involved in a row over public-sector pensions, which will see a huge lobby of Parliament in October and a TUC-organised day of action on November 30.
Full Story: www.herald.ie
