Most disadvantaged hit again as 62 home school community liaison posts lost - Hayes [Fine Gael]
- Published: 09 March 2009
Source: Fine Gael
One in five disadvantaged schools that were previously provided with a Home School/Community Liaison teacher have been told that they are having their teacher removed this coming September according to new figures provided to Fine Gael Education Spokesman, Brian Hayes TD.
The Home School/Community Liaison (HS/CL) Scheme is provided to disadvantaged schools and is aimed at improving the lives of disadvantaged students by providing a link between parents, teachers and the students themselves. 278 primary and 188 secondary schools used to avail of the scheme but, as Minister Batt O'Keeffe admitted to Brian Hayes (see PQ at end), 93 of these schools will see the HS/CL Scheme withdrawn in September.
"School drop-outs will increase because of this move and Ireland's ability to climb out of recession will be severely hindered. Principals all over the country have informed me that the loss of HS/CL posts will have a detrimental effect on their ability to keep children in school.
"I also believe it is an outrage that the 20 primary school and 73 post-primary schools which will lose this service have still not been informed by the Department of Education about the impending withdrawal of these posts.
"While I recognise that savings in the public purse have to be made, the HS/CL Scheme is a vital tool in the fight against educational disadvantage and the cost savings in withdrawing it will end up costing the Exchequer a lot more in the long-run.
"Batt O'Keeffe and his Government must realise that, to pull ourselves out of recession, we need to keep children from disadvantaged backgrounds in school, get them into college and begin constructing a viable 'knowledge economy'. This means that cutting HS/CL Schemes for the 20% of schools in receipt of them is counter-productive and can only deepen the recession.
"Fianna Fáil and Batt O'Keeffe have shown a lack of leadership and lack of vision when it comes to digging Ireland out of the hole they got us into. Instead of attacking frontline services, class sizes and lower to middle income workers, a more viable solution would have been to follow Fine Gael's plans and focus on reforming the tax system and cutting public sector costs through public sector pay freezes and non-essential redundancies.
"Targeting the most disadvantaged is not the way forward and will do little to plug the hole in the Exchequer finances. In fact, it will make a bad situation worse."
Ends
Note: Parliamentary Question from Brian Hayes TD to the Minister for Education & Science follows:
Chun an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíoctha
To the Minister for Education and Science
To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will re-consider the loss of the home school community liaison teacher from September 2009 to those schools in the post-primary and primary sector which were originally included in the disadvantaged area scheme but were subsequently not included in the delivering equality in schools scheme, but retained resources under the DAS scheme; the number of schools in this category which are expected to lose a home school liaison teacher; if, in view of the small number of schools in question, he will reconsider his proposal in this area given the impact of this decision for these schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
- Brian Hayes.
* For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 3rd February, 2009.
Reference Number: 3451/09
Freagra
Minister of State, Seán Haughey
Following the introduction of DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion, a commitment was given, as a concessionary measure to Non DEIS schools in receipt of resources under pre-existing schemes, that they would retain a level of support in line with their size and disadvantage levels for the duration of the DEIS Initiative.
Given the current volatile and challenging economic climate, difficult choices had to be made in order to contain public sector spending. One of these decisions is the withdrawal of disadvantaged area scheme posts, Home School Community Liaision posts and additional financial resources from all Non DEIS schools with effect from 31 August 2009. The main focus of Social Inclusion measures is to retain resources in schools participating in DEIS, as there is a need to focus targeted resources on the schools serving the most disadvantaged communities. This approach is in line with the broad thrust of the recommendations of the Comptroller and Auditor General which are set out in his report on Primary Disadvantatage of 2006, which recommended that my Department should focus its educational disadvantage measures on those schools serving the most disadvantaged communities.
From September 2009 some 62 Home School Community Liaision posts, currently serving 20 primary and 73 post primary schools will be withdrawn. These schools were judged by an independent identification process in 2005 not to have a sufficient level of disadvantage among their pupils to warrant their inclusion in DEIS.
Send to a Friend User Friendly Print Page
Gogarty resigns as Green spokesman on education [Irish Times]
- Published: 09 March 2009
Source: Irish Times
Green Party education spokesman Paul Gogarty has resigned his position in the wake of decisions on education taken at the party's convention in Wexford at the weekend.
Mr Gogarty has stepped down from the position after a motion, which delegates accepted, to establish a high-level reference group to develop a strategy on education commitments.
Mr Gogarty said the "storm in a teacup" over his position as education spokesman had deflected from the positive message coming out of the Green Party conference.
He said he would also step down as chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Education, if party leader John Gormley "feels it is necessary". He said he had no intention of resigning from the Green Party or from the party whip.
"I have made a personal decision that the role of education spokesperson can't work properly with this motion being passed," he told RTÉ's News at One. "But I'm here to fight this fight on behalf of the Green Party and on behalf of the children in schools around the country," he added.
Before the debate on Saturday, Mr Gogarty said in a statement to delegates that the motion would "have the effect of undermining me as education spokesperson despite my having gone out on a limb for the party".
His motion for a special conference next year to discuss the party's continued participation in Government had a majority of about 55 per cent, but required a two-thirds majority to pass. A similar motion calling for a special conference to be convened if education cuts were not reversed, was also turned down.
Labour party spokesman on education Ruairi Quinn said today's resignation was a "futile gesture".
"Had Deputy Gogarty been prepared to take this stand when his Government was forcing swinging education cuts through the Dail last October it might well have forced his Party to reconsider their support for Batt O'Keeffe's proposals.
"At the end of the day, Deputy Gogarty was prepared to vote for the cuts and it is only a perceived slight to his position, in the form of a motion passed at the Green Party conference, that has now caused him to resign his position."
The president of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) Shane Kelly said the group was "delighted" with Mr Gogarty's decision. "Education must be placed at the very centre of any economic recovery plan if Ireland's long term prosperity is to be secured," he said.
"We cannot have a short sighted approach to our education sector, we need a long term strategic vision, and the reintroduction of fees would certainly not deliver that."
Teacher unions need economics lesson [Irish Independent]
- Published: 09 March 2009
Source: Irish Independent
I AM a secondary school teacher with over 25 years of teaching experience and I wish to register my disgust and outrage with the decision of my union, the ASTI, for its vigorous and aggressive campaign to encourage members to vote 'yes' to industrial action.
ASTI members, along with colleagues from the TUI and INTO unions, were told it was "vital" that all vote 'yes' to this ballot.
The TUI has asked the ICTU to "co-ordinate strike action to provide maximum effect".
Our unions acknowledge publicly that we are in severely difficult economic times. They have witnessed thousands of job losses each day, with many people losing their livelihoods.
They must surely realise our country is close to meltdown.
How can they be so ignorant of basic economics? It is nothing short of embarrassing.
As a teacher and a parent of five dependant children, I am experiencing financial difficulty but I recognise that I am far from alone.
It is, therefore, hard to believe that the only solution that our unions can offer is industrial action.
In addition, we have provided the unions with a mandate "to engage in whatever action the union deems appropriate". How ominous that now sounds.
We are going to walk out of our jobs, while hundreds of thousands queue on the dole line.
This action will literally cost millions to an already distressed economy. Does this really make sense to anyone?
I quote Yeats who best describes how I view our union leaders: "The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity."
For obvious reasons, I leave my name and address with the editor.
Cutting class size will not benefit students - report [Irish Times]
- Published: 09 March 2009
Source: Irish Times
SEÁN FLYNN, Education Editor
CUTTING CLASS size in schools will not deliver better results for students, according to a major advisory report to Government on education and training.
The report also backs graduate taxes, but says efforts to address the funding crisis at third level may not require the return of upfront college fees.
The National Competitiveness Council report ; to be published today ; says investment in computers and in-service teacher training would be more valuable than "expensive" moves to cut class size.
The report is critical of demands for more resources for education. "Reducing class size is expensive and an excessive focus on this area can deflect scarce resources from providing schools with better school buildings, science labs, adequate computers and sports facilities," it says.
The report got an angry response from the INTO, whose campaign against the recent increases in class size attracted widespread public support.
But it will be welcomed by Minister for Education, Batt O'Keeffe. Class size in primary schools was increased from 27 to 28 in the budget, a move that will yield substantial savings for the exchequer. The report backs the introduction of a graduate tax to help fund higher education. It is "appropriate and equitable that graduates, who will benefit from . . . increased earnings should contribute a portion of the cost of their education," it says.
It says the current arrangement, whereby colleges are largely dependent on exchequer funding is not sustainable. While it does not back the return of fees, it says graduate taxes and student loans linked to income have been successfully adopted in other countries. It says overall assets should be included in assessing eligibility for student grants. The current system, it says, is inequitable.
The report makes a series of other recommendations including;
-The introduction of bonus CAO points for maths;
- New efforts to ensure students are rewarded for taking higher level maths in the Leaving Cert;
- More effective use and application of information technology in schools;
- The establishment of an effective and high-quality system of pre-primary education;
- The need to recognise outstanding teachers and reward them through the promotion system;
- New moves to empower school principals to be education leaders in their schools supported by effective middle management structures.
The competitiveness council quotes various academic studies to justify its position on class size. But the INTO's general secretary, John Carr, accused it of presenting a misleading picture.
"The INTO has consistently argued for smaller classes for younger children because it pays dividends. Claiming that class sizes have moved towards OECD and EU averages is straight out of the Ryanair school of spin."
In his foreword, competitiveness council chairman Dr Don Thornhill says outstanding Irish teachers have helped to deliver a strong educational system with relatively modest resources. He says the downturn means "the way in which resources are used can be just as important as the overall levels of funding''.
Other members of the council include Donal Byrne, chairman of Cadbury Schweppes Ireland; Brendan Butler of Ibec; William Prasifka of the Competition Authority; Martin Cronin of Forfás; Annette Hughes of DKM consultants and Ferdinand von Prondzynski, DCU president.
On third level, the report says colleges should avoid duplication of programmes. Co-operation and amalgamation is important, it says, for achieving critical mass in research.
State-funded primary school told to stop charging €2,000 enrolment [Irish Independent]
- Published: 09 March 2009
Source: Irish Independent
A STATE-funded 'elite' primary school has been rapped over the knuckles for asking parents for a €2,000 enrolment 'hello money' contribution for their children.
The national school also charges an annual 'fee' of €350 plus €145 a year to cover the cost of employing a number of tutors.
The Department of Education and Science pays teachers' salaries and gives capitation grants to the Killashee multi-denominational school in Naas, Co Kildare, just as it does for other national schools.
Unusual
But the Killashee school, which caters for 220 pupils, unusually charges fees and has been told to stop doing so by the department, which carried out a Whole School Evaluation report recently.
The school's patron body is Friends of Killashee Ltd, which has a number of directors including football star Niall Quinn, who lives in the area.
A note in the company's financial statement for the year ended July 31, 2007 said that the previous October the department offered to provide €467,000 in grant aid for a proposed extension, but this would result in a significant shortfall which would fall upon the members to pay.
The department's evaluation report, which praises the principal and her 'dedicated teaching team', is very critical of fundraising practices.
"The patron company engages in the practice of sending out admission forms accompanied by a letter requesting €2,000 as a 'voluntary' contribution from parents which they are asked to pay on the enrolment of each child in the school," it says.
"Furthermore, parents are also requested to give an undertaking to pay €350 per child annually to the school. A fee of €145, to cover the cost of employing a number of tutors, is also requested annually from the parents." It says that requests for large voluntary contributions should cease.
"If contributions are sought from parents/families, the level of contribution should be flexible and this flexibility should be clearly articulated in all policies and in practice," says the report.
The report has been reviewed by the school, which says that requests for voluntary contributions will not be sent out in future. However, nobody was available from the school or the patron body to elaborate.
Amended
The school says it has also amended its enrolment policy towards students with special needs. Until now, its policy stated clearly that "children with special needs will be accepted when the special resources required are provided by the Department of Education and Science. However, parents may consider a special school which is designed and resourced to specifically cater for the needs of a particular child if their child's needs are not being met satisfactorily."
The department says that this policy as it is currently written could be construed as discriminating against pupils with special needs, adding that the policy should be revised in the light of the requirements of equality legislation.
- John Walshe, Education Editor
