Second-level 'grinds culture' persists [irishtimes.com]
- Published: 13 August 2011
Second-level 'grinds culture' persists
MORE THAN 50 per cent of Junior Cert students, aged 15 or 16, are taking private grinds costing about €40 per hour.
A new survey shows the “grinds culture” continues to exert a huge influence in second-level education in Ireland; more than 60 per cent of Leaving Cert students are also taking grinds.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Ulster school principal dies after ladder accident [belfasttelegraph.co.uk]
- Published: 13 August 2011
Ulster school principal dies after ladder accident
The principal of an east Belfast primary school has died following an accident at his home nearly three weeks ago.
David Hutchinson, headmaster of Elmgrove Primary School on the Beersbridge Road, died on Thursday afternoon.
The 51-year-old had been in a coma at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast after he fell off a ladder at his home and suffered brain damage.
Full Story: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
35 million euro Education Campus for Monaghan [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 12 August 2011
Education Minister Ruairí Quinn has today given the green light to Co. Monaghan Vocational Education Committee to proceed to the next stage in the construction of a €35 million education campus. Following a tender process, the VEC will commence construction on the new campus.
This is one of the first Department of Education projects where responsibility has been devolved to a VEC. Co. Monaghan VEC will manage the provision of the new Education Campus. It is the largest building project to be funded by the Department this year.
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
State schools 'outperform private education' [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 12 August 2011
Private schools in Ireland are performing no better than their publicly-run counterparts, a new study has claimed.
The Irish Times reports that a study comparing 15-year-olds' results in maths throughout several developed countries found that, when all factors are taken into account, free school pupils can be seen outperforming privately educated students.
It noted that, while average test scores are higher for fee-charging establishments, when the effects of their more selective admission policies are considered, this is actually reversed.
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
Education plans fail to put children first [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 12 August 2011
THERE is a proverb about teaching that says: "A good teacher is like a candle — it consumes itself to light the way for others."
Unfortunately, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn seems to think that teachers burning the candle at both ends will help solve the department’s budget problems. After cutting language support teachers, special needs assistants, and quietly moving towards the non-replacement of home/school liaison teachers, Mr Quinn has warned of another increase in class sizes.
In response to Niall Murray’s August 5 article ("Teachers angered by threat of increased class sizes") it is no surprise that teacher unions have expressed their displeasure at another Department of Education and Skills proposal, which would reduce student supports further. Past governments have been slowly increasing teacher-pupil ratios for years, while countries with much higher international educational attainment rankings, such as Scotland and Canada, actively seek to reduce class sizes. Research tells us there are a multitude of factors that influence teaching effectiveness, including teacher professional development, experience, and class size. The issue now is not that Mr Quinn is seeking to add one more child to classrooms that are already overburdened, but that the overall number has continued to creep up unnoticed over the years, and may now be near breaking point.
Full Story: www.examiner.ie
