Education crisis puts us all to test [Independent.ie]
- Published: 27 June 2011
ALL government is about priorities, and next to the economic crisis the Fine Gael-Labour Coalition can have no greater priority than the education system. Our future as a society, not just as an economy, depends on nurturing the next generation, and generations to come, of well-educated and highly skilled young people.
But the problems that face Education Minister Ruairi Quinn are as daunting as any yet encountered by his colleagues Michael Noonan, in handling the shattered public finances; and Brendan Howlin, in containing expenditure and reforming the bureaucracy.
An international report has found that almost a quarter of Irish 15-year-old boys are illiterate. Class sizes have risen while the number of special needs teachers has declined. Large numbers of school buildings are in need of repair.
And all this will soon be pushed into the background by a crisis of simple numbers. The youngest children of the deceased Tiger will be starting primary school, their elders moving to second or third level.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
40 new schools to be established in next six years – Minister Quinn [education.ie]
- Published: 27 June 2011
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., today announced that 20 new primary schools and 20 new post-primary schools are to be established in the next six years.
Announcing the new schools, the Minister said: “My Department is forecasting an increase of over 45,050 primary pupils and 24,900 post-primary pupils by the start of the 2017/18 school year.
"In order to meet the needs of our growing population of school going children, we will have to establish 40 new schools, as well as extending a number of existing schools."
Of the 40 new schools, 17 will be in the Dublin area with a further twelve in the commuter belt of Wicklow, Kildare, Meath and Louth.
There will be six new schools established in Cork, three in Galway, and one each in Wexford and Cavan. (Please see attached map showing the locations of the new schools)
These new schools will be in addition to the seven new primary schools opened in autumn 2010. The new schools will generally be sixteen-classroom primary schools and up to 1,000-student post-primary schools. The estimated capital cost of the establishment of the new schools is in the region of €380m and the programme of delivery will include some PPP projects. There will also be additional school extension projects which will be needed to cater for the growing school going population.
The Minister also announced the establishment of new arrangements for the recognition of new primary and second-level schools. Minister Quinn said: "With the significant number of new schools, there will be an opportunity for patrons to seek to apply for patronage of these schools.
Full Story: www.education.ie
Graduate teachers facing emigration [IrishTimes]
- Published: 27 June 2011
A chara, – As one of the many graduates who will emigrate due to the lack of available employment for newly qualified teachers, I feel a great sense of disbelief at the complacency of the Government in its willingness to ignore that numerous highly-trained individuals are leaving, only to use their skills for the benefit of the education systems of other countries.
The Teaching Council requires that all newly-qualified teachers complete an induction period of 300 hours post-qualification, in order to be recognised as fully accredited teachers by the council. However, by staying in Ireland, the vast majority of teaching graduates of 2011 will find it incredibly challenging to fulfil this requirement within the allowed three years, due to the impossibility of securing long-term employment. Therefore, the only option for most is to fulfil this requirement abroad.
Many school managers find themselves in a position whereby they cannot replace teachers who have retired or have left the profession.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
FF backs multi-faith primary schools [IrishTimes]
- Published: 27 June 2011
THE OBJECTIVES of multi-faith understanding and social harmony “are best served by children of all faiths and none learning together”, the Fianna Fáil party has said in submission to the forum on patronage and pluralism in the primary sector.
The document was presented to party members at a conference on education in Birr, Co Offaly, yesterday. “We appreciate that some parents do not want their children to undergo faith formation in any one creed at school. At the same time, we recognise that other parents view faith formation as a vital part of their child’s education. We believe that it is possible, and desirable, for both of these perspectives to be respected and accommodated in the one school,” it said.
It continued that “this philosophy underpinned the announcement of a new pilot patronage model, the community national school, by the then minister for education and science, Mary Hanafin TD, in 2007.” The model had been piloted in five locations.
In the new community national schools, “children of different faiths are taught together for most of the school day. All children take part as one group in a multi-belief programme that enables them to learn about all faiths and grow to understand each other’s beliefs.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Speech of Fianna Fáil Leader Micheál Martin TD, Party Conference on Education [fiannafail.ie]
- Published: 25 June 2011
I would like to welcome you and thank you for attending this policy conference. We have decided on education as the topic for our first conference since the election for two main reasons. First of all, education is and always has been a core priority for Fianna Fáil. Secondly, we believe that there remain serious challenges to be confronted in the education system and we intend to use every opportunity in the Oireachtas to promote a positive agenda to address them.
I have no interest in the type of negative and destructive opposition which this country saw in recent years. That was all about preparing for an election not preparing for government – and it is why so many policies which were bitterly opposed just three months ago are still being implemented.
Our commitment to being constructive was shown in April when we tabled a private members motion in the Dáil which succeeded in gaining cross-party support. The debate on our motion is so far the only time that the new Dáil has discussed education.
Full Story: www.fiannafail.ie
