Revised Irish test 'will hit weaker students' [Irish Independent]
- Published: 07 January 2009
Source: Irish Independent
By John Walshe
GOVERNMENT plans for revised tests in Irish will hit weaker students, the State's own advisory council on exam reform has warned.
In an unprecedented move, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) says that the new exams place too much emphasis on spoken Irish.
Last May, the then Education Minister Mary Hanafin announced that 40pc of the marks for Irish will go to oral Irish in the Junior Cert from next year, and in the Leaving Cert from 2012.
But in a confidential report, the NCCA says 40pc is too much and should be reduced to a third. It says there are no examples anywhere in the world where a 40pc weighting applies in a high-stakes exam such as the Leaving.
Increasing the oral component from 20pc in the Junior and from 25pc in the Leaving to 40pc will also involve reducing the aural component where students with lower levels of proficiency had traditionally achieved well.
"The oral assessment component, which involves the assessment of more demanding productive language skills, is one where the same category of students have usually achieved less well.
"There is concern, therefore, from an equality perspective, that as a result of the changes, students with lower levels of proficiency in language learning will perform less well," says the report drawn up by the NCCA Course Committee for Leaving Cert Irish.
The report says that it is clear that changes to the content of the current syllabus will be necessary, following last year's ministerial decision. Some syllabus content will need to be removed because of the increased emphasis on oral skills.
The report sets out how the changes can be made but makes it clear that the committee favours a less radical change while still placing a lot of emphasis on oral skills.
Favour
The aural component should also get a stronger emphasis than planned by the Department, it suggests. At present the aural or listening test is worth 16.6pc at higher level and 20pc at ordinary level. The Department intends to change this to 10pc but the committee favours bringing it up to 17pc.
At foundation level, the listening component at present is worth 30pc but this is due to be cut to 20pc -- the committee favours restoring it to 27pc.
The report also criticises the fact that the revised arrangements were introduced with little advance notice or wider consultation with education agencies and stakeholders, including the NCCA.
This is not a welcome precedent in the area of curriculum development and implementation, it adds.
- John Walshe Education Editor
Radical new rating system proposed for schools [Irish Independent]
- Published: 07 January 2009
Source: Irish Independent
By John Walshe
Radical moves towards informing parents how individual schools fare in exams were signalled last night by Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe.
But a spokesman insisted the minister was not in favour of the publication of national league tables of exam results.
"What the minister is talking about is schools empowering parents in the local community to make informed decisions based on the programmes, policies and performance of schools in a holistic way," he said.
The spokesman said the minister, as a priority, wanted schools to be more transparent in how they operated.
Information
He would like to see them giving a lot more information to parents on everything from enrolment policies to achievements in sports. This information for the local community would also include information on attainments in exams.
He stressed that there was no change in policy towards the publication of exam results.
"What the minister is trying to do is broaden out the school in its interaction with the local community in terms of helping parents to have all the information necessary to make informed decisions on behalf of their children."
Although no talks were planned, he said the minister was indicating his interest in exploring this approach.
- John Walshe Education Editor
Schools could chalk up water fines [Irish Independent]
- Published: 06 January 2009
Source: Irish Independent
By Paul Melia
Schools and businesses will be fined for wasting water under tough new conservation measures to be announced today.
And gardeners who water their lawns or motorists who insist on washing their cars during times of water shortages face on-the-spot fines of €125, with penalties rising to as much as €5,000 if they fail to heed warnings to stop.
Environment Minister John Gormley has signed new regulations which will compel businesses and schools to fix leaks and stop wasting water or else face the prospect of a day in court.
They will be told to take simple measures like turning off automatic flushing urinals at weekends and at night time to save water, and can be ordered by local authorities to fix leaks.
And those which fail to comply with the order could find their water supply cut off, and face an appearance in the District Court where fines of up to €5,000 can be imposed.
People or businesses which breach a hosepipe ban also face stiff penalties.
Section 56 of the 2007 Water Services Act allows local authorities to 'prohibit or restrict' the use of water during periods of drought for watering a garden, park or playing pitch, irrigating or spraying crops, filling a swimming pool or washing a car, truck or trailer.
Primary schools to get €2.2m in IT funding [Sunday Tribune]
- Published: 06 January 2009
Source: Education.ie
Seventy-two primary schools across the country are to get €2.2 million in grants for high-tech equipment over the coming days as part of the Government's continuing efforts to make technology an integral part of the learning process, according to the Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe TD.
Minister O'Keeffe said the 72 primary schools in which major construction work was completed in 2008 will each get €5,000 per classroom to buy computer hardware, software and digital equipment.
Announcing the €2.2 million investment, Minister O'Keeffe said: 'The allocation amounts to €5,000 in respect of each permanent classroom built in 2008.
'It'll enable schools to radically improve their information communications technology (ICT) capacity in the classroom.
'This is the first time there has been an ICT allowance per classroom at primary school level and I'm delighted to be in a position to announce that important shift in education policy.
'These ICT equipment grants of €2.2 million will issue to 72 primary schools in which a newly constructed school or large-scale extension was completed in 2008.
'The grants will enable schools to equip their new classrooms with appropriate technology to integrate ICT into teaching and learning.
'The National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) has advised schools of the appropriate equipment specification which should include a fixed digital projector, an internet-enabled laptop computer and a visualiser complemented by classroom computers.
'I'm very conscious of the need to boost schools' ICT capacity and I want to ensure that technology becomes an integral part of the learning process at an early age.
'These grants demonstrate our commitment to providing the kind of high-tech hardware required to fulfill that objective.
'My longer term goal is to increase the take-up of science, engineering and technology courses in third-level institutions in the building of Ireland's knowledge economy and innovation society,' said Minister O'Keeffe.
He said schools are now being advised of the national-level purchasing frameworks in place for desktops, laptops and printers which are aimed at delivering best value for money.
'The NCTE is providing advice and guidance to schools on the range of ICT equipment.
'This €2.2 million investment brings the total spend on schools' ICT equipment under the School Building Programme to €4.5 million in 2008.
'The investment in schools' ICT infrastructure under the School Building Programme is significant and it'll be continued in all major building projects.
'In line with the report of the ICT strategy group which I published last year, seminars on e-learning have been held for ICT co-ordinating teachers, initially in the post-primary sector, and the NCTE will shortly publish its e-learning manual for schools.
'As outlined in the Government's Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal, we are committed to enhancing schools' ICT capacity.
'These grants underline that commitment and demonstrate our intention to place ICT proficiency at the heart of the learning process in the classroom,' said Minister O'Keeffe.
Please find attached below link to the full list of schools to which the grants will be paid over the coming days. There is also a breakdown of their individual allocations based on the number of new classrooms provided in 2008.
http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/PR09-01-05.xls
O'Keeffe: Pupils should not march [Irish Examiner]
- Published: 06 January 2009
Source: Irish Examiner
TEACHERS have been accused of using the schoolbag as a political weapon by Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe, who has expressed concern over the growing use of children in union marches.
Protests involving thousands of children and teachers have been held all over the country since the announcement in October that budget cuts would lead to an increase in class sizes in primary schools.
Mr O'Keeffe said the unions representing teachers are serving the interest of their members and not children. "Obviously the teachers have used the schoolbag as a political implement and you would be concerned about that," he told the Irish Examiner.
"I would prefer it if wasn't done. Unions are there to serve the interests of their members and secondly they will be serving the interest of the children. As Minister for Education I serve the interest of the pupils in the classroom and their parents trying to ensure they get the best education output. I want to ensure that nothing impedes that delivery," he said.
However the minister praised the majority of teachers for working with the government in the interest of children.
"At a time when the economy is tight you get a level of co-operation that might not otherwise be there. I think, despite all the marches and all the apparent hostility, we share a common belief that we have to work together in the interest of the pupils of this country and the interest of the economy," he said.
Mr O'Keeffe said notwithstanding recent budget cuts, the quality of teaching in the classrooms remains to the most important part of education.
"We delivered the highest number of school places ever in 2008 and I'm quite confident that we'll have an outstanding output in 2009 as well," he said.
