Quinn urged to intervene as row threatens school opening [examiner.ie]
- Published: 23 August 2011
Quinn urged to intervene as row threatens school opening
EDUCATION Minister Ruairi Quinn has been urged to intervene in a dispute that threatens the opening of a new school in Stranorlar, Co Donegal, for the coming term.
Finn Valley College was set to open next Monday but it was put back another week because of a dispute over payment between the main contractor and an electrical sub-contractor.
Full Story: www.examiner.ie
Calls to revamp college points system [examiner.ie]
- Published: 22 August 2011
Calls to revamp college points system
PRESSURE to overhaul the points system is set to intensify as the Leaving Certificate results needed for more than 500 courses are higher than last year, as 49,400 people get college place offers this morning.
The points for almost half of all level 8 degrees are up and are unchanged for another one-in-five, despite a 2% drop in overall college applicants and slightly more places being offered by colleges at this stage of the Central Applications Office (CAO) process.
Full Story: www.examiner.ie
Science and computing score highest in CAO demands [independent.ie]
- Published: 22 August 2011
Science and computing score highest in CAO demands
THIRD-level colleges make a record number of offers to students today after a surge in demand for places on science and computing courses.
Almost 1,000 more students are getting offers than this time last year even though there has been an overall decline in applications.
The rising demand for technology and science shows school-leavers are opting for degrees they hope will translate into jobs.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Maths teacher criteria may change [sbpost.ie]
- Published: 22 August 2011
Maths teacher criteria may change
The government may consider changing the qualifying criteria for maths teachers if the current ‘‘slide’’ in Leaving Certificate results is not arrested by the Project Maths programme.
Ruairi Quinn, the Minister for Education, has instructed the Teaching Council, the professional body for teaching in Ireland, to carryout an in depth study on the number of qualified maths teachers in the country.
Full Story: www.sbpost.ie
Continuous assessment bad for education [examiner.ie]
- Published: 22 August 2011
Continuous assessment bad for education
Monday, August 22, 2011
EDUCATION Minister Ruairi Quinn is (predictably) calling for a drastic revision of our examination system, with a big increase of in continuous assessment, at the very time when our neighbour to the east is taking steps to go back to exams.
A senior minister in England called this year for the abandonment of continuous assessment.
Full Story: www.examiner.ie
