Changes to pay system "demoralising" for new teachers [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 06 July 2011
Newly-qualified teachers may find that changes to the profession's pay structure will lead to them earning less than their colleagues.
This is according to teaching union ASTI, which stated many entrants could consider the prospect of taking home less money for doing the same amount of work "demoralising".
Under proposals announced yesterday (July 5th), second level teachers will be appointed to the first point of the pay scale instead of the third point as they were in the past, the union explained, which would effectively mean a pay cut of five per cent on top of the ten per cent reduction already being applied to all new public sector staff.
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
Parents fight SNA cutbacks [dublinpeople.com]
- Published: 06 July 2011
HUNDREDS of parents across the Northside are facing the prospect of watching their children’s development regress because of cutbacks in the number of special needs assistants.
The warning was delivered last week at a packed and emotional meeting at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blanchardstown where a local group was formed to campaign against the cuts.
The group, Special Needs Assistants, Parents and Teachers (SNAP), is part of a wider national campaign against education cuts which will ramp up when they begin to bite in September.
Full Story: www.dublinpeople.com
350 children compete for 50 places at Educate Together [fingal-independent.ie]
- Published: 06 July 2011
A STAGGERING 350 children are competing for just 50 places at a Balbriggan primary school as the real problems caused by the town's massive population growth hit home.
New Census figures reveal a rapidly expanding town but primary schools across Balbriggan do not have to be told that the population is getting out of control, they have their own figures to prove it.
In scenes that are repeated all over the town, Balbriggan Educate Together School have seen 350 children signed up to join the school next year but there are only 50 places available.
In fact, according to the principal of the school, Fintan McCuthcheon, the waiting lists are not just growing for school starters but exist at all ages with up to 50 pupils on a waiting list for each and every class the school offers.
Full Story: www.fingal-independent.ie
'Emergency school' could be only solution to looming crisis [fingal-independent.ie]
- Published: 06 July 2011
EDUCATION provision at second level in Balbriggan is on the brink of collapse and by September of next year, the town could again be witnessing scenes where an 'emergency school' has to be thrown up in the town in a matter of weeks.
Census figures showing the town's population is continuing to grow at an enormous rate are only adding to the headaches of educators in the town struggling to cope with ever-increasing demands.
A primary school principal in the town has predicted a huge swell of Balbriggan pupils going on to secondary school in 2012 and says there are not enough places either planned or already created to cope.
Fintan McCuthcheon, principal of Balbriggan Educate Together NS says that the problems in education provision in the town are 'acute'.
Full Story: www.fingal-independent.ie
Robert McCartney: Black mark against reforms [belfasttelegraph.co.uk]
- Published: 06 July 2011
Teaching reforms proposed by Education Minister Caitriona Ruane will lead to more local children being disadvantaged, argues Robert McCartney QC
Minister Ruane in her recent opinion piece first alleges that my comments on the education debacle are flawed and then offers what purports to be a response. If readers then expected a rational analysis of my views demonstrating their failings, disappointment was to be their lot.
What the Education Minister produced was a mish-mash of unsupported assertion, political puff and an emotional appeal to class prejudice.
Full Story: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
