Review must be ‘first step’ in reversing planned cuts in DEIS schools - IPPN
- Published: 12 January 2012
The Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN), the professional body that represents over 3,350 primary school leaders, has urged the Government to continue to invest in schools in disadvantaged areas, saying the review announced last night must be the first step in reversing planned cuts in resources.
Seán Cottrell, IPPN Director, said it was crucial that disadvantaged schools be protected from cuts in resources.
‘The review announced by the Government in the Dáil last night must be the first step in the process of reversing planned cuts in resources in disadvantaged schools which, if they went ahead, would radically set back progress on children’s literacy and numeracy and cause severe long-term damage to our primary education system.
‘The Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) scheme was designed to alleviate the effects of socio-economic deprivation.
‘With the planned abolition of DEIS for rural schools and DEIS II in urban areas, it appears that the already disadvantaged are taking a disproportionate hit in the effort to save money.
‘With all of these cuts hitting schools at the same time, parents, principals and teachers fear that local schools’ ability to support children who most need help will radically diminish.
‘This, together with the pressure on small schools with four teachers or fewer, has generated deep anxiety among parents and teachers that schools will close across the country and critical resources will be withdrawn from children most in need.
‘It is vital, too, that any review of resources carried out by the Government is transparent and based on the application of consistent criteria, not on which schools are most vocal in their opposition to the move,’ said Mr Cottrell.
Gerry Murphy, IPPN President, said cuts in DEIS schools would reverse the painstaking progress made in recent years to invest in vulnerable children’s futures.
‘For education reform, the moral imperative must be to focus on raising the bar and closing the gap in student learning and achievement for all children regardless of background,’ said Mr Murphy.
ENDS
UL marks 40th Anniversary with €2,000 Scholarships for 40 Incoming Students [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 06 January 2012
The University of Limerick is offering €2,000 entrance scholarships to 40 students to mark the occasion of its 40th Anniversary this year. The 40 scholarships will be offered to students who will begin their undergraduate studies in the Autumn Semester for the Academic Year 2012/13.
Speaking about the UL40 Scholarships Professor Paul McCutcheon, Vice President Academic & Registrar of the University of Limerick said “These scholarships celebrate 40 years of academic endeavour in UL. UL has grown expansively into an internationally renowned university and produced talented and high calibre graduates. The UL40 scholarships are an ideal way to recognise UL’s academic achievements over the past 40 years since it first began by helping 40 entrant students to begin their academic lives.”
The UL40 Scholarships will be awarded to incoming students based on their performance in the Leaving Certificate determined by their CAO points. All CAO applicants will be automatically included in the selection process provided they have not already received another bursary or scholarship from UL.
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
Changes to learning support 'will harm pupils' [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 06 January 2012
Proposed changes to the way classroom resources for special needs students are calculated could damage the quality of education on offer, it has been warned.
Until now, primary schools were allocated staff to assist children with common learning difficulties such as dyslexia based on how many pupils they have, the Irish Examiner reports.
However, from the start of the next school year, special needs teachers will be assigned based on the number of classes a school has.
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
Threat to small schools [southernstar.ie]
- Published: 06 January 2012
A PUBLIC meeting has been called to address the fact that small schools across the country with four teachers or fewer could start to close in 2012.
Clara McGowan, the principal of St James’ School in Durrus, said the closures would ‘devastate rural communities and jeopardise the high standards of primary school education in the country.’
Last year, teachers and principals from all over West Cork came out in force to attend a meeting at the West Cork Education Centre, to show solidarity in the campaign to reverse the cuts imposed on rural schools in the recent budget.
A second meeting will be held at 7.30pm on Monday, January 16th, in the Parkway Hotel in Dunmanway to inform the public how these cuts will impact on small schools in the area.
Full Story: www.southernstar.ie
David Quinn: Fee-paying schools are not a drain on taxpayers [Independent.ie]
- Published: 06 January 2012
Fee-paying schools don't cost the taxpayer money, they save us money. That fact should be front and centre whenever the subject of private schools is back in the news, as it has been this week.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has ordered an investigation into how the country's 56 fee-paying schools are using the €120m they raise from parents annually.
What does he intend doing with this information? Does he intend penalising schools that are successful at raising funds by reducing the amount of money they receive from the State to pay teachers' salaries?
The only message this will give to such schools is that they ought to spend less time fund-raising for fear that the State will cut its support if they manage to raise 'too much' money.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
