Deireadh Seachtaine i Ráth Chairn le Gael Linn
Meán Fómhair 5, 2013
Dóibh siúd gur spéis leo a gcuid Gaeilge labhartha a fheabhsú in atmasféar taitneamhach spraíúil, tá Gael Linn ag eagrú deireadh seachtaine Gaeilge agus cultúrtha i nGaeltacht Ráth Chairn ón Aoine 11 – Domhnach 13 Deireadh Fómhair 2013. Is é seo an séú bhliain don eagras an ócáid ráthúil seo a eagrú i gcomhar le Comharchumann Ráth Chairn. Is le linn Éigse Dharach Uí Chatháin a reáchtálfar deireadh seachtaine na bliana seo, uair a bheidh deis ag foghaimeoirí fásta na Gaeilge blaiseadh de chultúr na Gaeltachta agus den Ghaeilge labhartha. I measc na n-imeachtaí atá beartaithe, tá ranganna comhrá Gaeilge (meánleibhéal), ceardlann amhránaíochta ar an sean-nós, quiz boird agus seisiúin ceoil! Socrófar lóistín do na rannpháirtithe go háitiúil agus is é táille réasúnta na deireadh seachtaine ná €180 an duine -béilte san áireamh !
Tá Gaeltacht Ráth Chairn suite idir Baile Átha Troim agus Áth Buí i gCo. na Mí – díreach uair an chloig ó Bhaile Átha Cliath ! Bunaíodh Gaeltacht Ráth Chairn i 1937 nuair a aistríodh teaghlaigh iomlána aniar as Conamara chuig Co. na Mí.
Tá gach eolas faoin deireadh seachtaine mar aon le foirm iarratais san iatán leis seo agus tá sé ar fáil freisin ó www.gael-linn.ie nó ó Sheán Ó Ceallaigh 01:6753299. (seanc@gael-linn.ie)
Ná Díoladh Leanaí as – Cosain an Bunoideachas
Meán Fómhair 4, 2013
Tháinig An Chomhghuaillíocht Náisiúnta don Bhunoideachas, a chuimsíonn na comhpháirtithe bunscoile uile, le chéile chun iarraidh ar an Rialtas stop a chur le ciorruithe breise ar an mbunoideachas i gCáinaisnéis na bliana seo. Creideann An Chomhghuaillíocht gur ionsaí díreach ar leanaí agus ar a gcearta bunreachtúla ar oideachas bunscoile aon iarrracht ciorruithe breise a chur i bhfeidhm ar an mbunoideachas. Ní ceart go gcuirfear iachall ar leanaí an lae inniu agus amárach díol as trioblóidí nó géarchéim eacnamaíochta na tíre seo.
Impíonn An Chomhghuaillíocht ar an Rialtas tosaíocht a thabhairt don bhunoideachas. Tá tábhacht leis an mbunoideachas chun go mbeadh rath ar an tír arís. Conas is féidir le scoileanna an ghlúin reatha a ullmhú don todhchaí má bhaintear acmhainní ríthábhachtacha díobh? Droch luach ar airgead iad na ciorruithe ar an mbunoideachas – cinneadh gearr-radharcach a dhéanfaidh an-dochar do shochaí na hÉireann.
Iarrann An Chomhghuaillíocht ar phobal na scoile teagmháil a dhéanamh leis na Teachtaí Dala áitiúla agus a iarraidh orthu cosaint a thabhairt don bhunoideachas. Sheol an Chomhghuaillíocht cártaí poist, ar féidir iad a sheoladh chuig na Teachtaí Dála, chuig gach scoil le go ndáilfear na cártaí ar gach teaghlach maraon le liosta na dTeachtaí Dála áitiúla, ar féidir na cártaí a sheoladh chucu.
Iarrann An Chomhghuaillíocht Náisiúnta ar scoileanna, ar mhúinteoirí, ar thuismitheoirí, ar phobail scoile agus ar mhuintir na hÉireann, seasamh le chéile, cur in aghaidh na gciorraithe agus an bunoideachas a chosaint ar mhaithe lenár leanaí.
Is iad seo a leanas baill na comhghuaillíochta: An Foras Pátrúnachta, CPSMA, Eaglais na hÉireann, Educate Together, GAELSCOILEANNA TEO., IPPN, INTO, NABMSE, NPC.
Is féidir an cárta poist a íoslódáil anseo: Cárta Poist 2013
Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha sna nuachtáin
Meán Fómhair 4, 2013
Leinster Leader: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=525045150905291&set=a.221395217936954.54298.185008058242337&type=1&relevant_count=1
Kildare Nationalist: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=525047977571675&set=a.221395217936954.54298.185008058242337&type=1
Cainteanna ar litríocht agus chultúr na hóige
Meán Fómhair 4, 2013
Beidh an tríú Comhdháil ar Litríocht agus ar Chultúr na nÓg ar siúl in Institiúid Oideachais Marino, Ascaill Uí Ghríofa, Baile Átha Cliath, Dé hAoine 20ú agus Dé Sathairn 21ú Meán Fómhair i mbliana.
Plé Is é cuspóir na hócáide “plé a spreagadh i measc oideachasóirí scoláirí, foilsitheoirí, aistritheoirí, ealaíontóirí den uile chineál agus daoine eile a bhfuil spéis acu i litríocht agus i gcultúr na n-óg. Díreofar ar stair chultúr Gaelach na n-óg, ar an suíomh reatha, agus ar dhúshláin na todhchaí”.
Triúr scoláirí – Ríona Nic Congáil, Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh agus Róisín Ní Ghairbhí –a thabharfaidh chéad chainteanna na hAoine ar “Litríocht na nÓg i rith Athbheochan na Gaeilge”. Athbheochan Amharcfaidh siad ar scríbhneoirí éagsúla – an Piarsach, Tórna agus Liam P. Ó Riain – agus an tionchar a d’imir siad ar an ghné seo de litríocht na Gaeilge.
Beidh cainteanna fosta ar leabhair Chathail Uí Shándair, ar choimicí agus ar chartúin, ar bheochan agus labhróidh Darach Ó Tuairisc ar an chomhlacht Fíbín agus ar dhrámaíocht chomhaimseartha na Gaeilge.
Seolfaidh Alan Titley an leabhar Laethanta Gréine agus Oícheanta Sí tráthnóna Aoine ag 4pm agus labhróidh Siobhán Ní Bhrádaigh agus Lis Ní Dhálaigh ar an soláthar a dhéanann TG4 don óige ina dhiaidh sin.
Féiniúlacht “Cultúr, Teangacha agus Féiniúlachtaí Éagsúla i Litríocht na nÓg” is teideal do chéad seisiún an tSathairn; cúrsaí aistriúcháin a bheidh faoi chaibidil ina dhiaidh sin agus litríocht na n-óg sa seomra ranga tráthnóna an lae chéanna. Tabharfaidh an foilsitheoir Albanach, Agnes Rennie, aoichaint “Creating new books for new readers: how Acair has maintained a children’s book list through a collaboration of shared interests” ag 1pm Dé Sathairn.
Eolas: litriochtnanog13@gmail.com
www.irishtimes.com
Commuter-belt pupils face most crowded classrooms
Meán Fómhair 4, 2013
Enrolments at highest in 20 years
Almost 25pc in ‘supersize’ classes
ALMOST one-in-three school pupils in some parts of the country is now in a “supersize” classroom of more than 30 children.
The children of commuter- belt families are suffering the most overcrowded classrooms, new figures confirm.
As primary-school enrolments rise, average classes are getting bigger almost everywhere throughout the country, with a spike in the number of pupils in classes of 30 or more. But some communities are being hit much harder than others, according to the latest figures from the Department of Education.
Wicklow tops the table with 31.5pc of children in classes of 30 or more, slightly ahead of Limerick county at 30.6pc. This means that almost one-in-three pupils in those areas is being taught in so-called “supersize” classes.
Children living in areas of rapid population growth on the outskirts of Dublin, and neighbouring counties, are also among the worst affected. There is also a big squeeze in classrooms in Cork county and Waterford county, parts of which experienced a population boom in the past decade.
In contrast, class sizes are generally stable, or falling, in many rural areas and in cities, reflecting trends in population.
The average class size rose to 24.7 in 2012-13, up from 24.5 the previous year. It compares with an EU average of 20. However, the slight increase in the national average masks a shocking jump in the number of pupils in classes of 30 or more, the precise impact of which depends on where a family lives. Primary pupils in Wicklow and Limerick counties are almost twice as likely to be squeezed into a class of 30 or more, when compared with those in the largely rural Cavan and Roscommon, where the rate is 16.2 pc.
However, teachers in small rural schools may be dealing with the complexity of more than one class in each classroom.
At the other end of the scale, the department’s figures also show a drop in the number of smaller classes in schools. In Dublin Fingal, only 2.6pc of pupils are in classes of under 20, down from 3pc a year previously. This compares with 21.4pc in Roscommon.
Pushed
Overall, 13 areas stand out as having the most crowded classrooms – a combination of the highest proportion of children in classes of 30 or more and the lowest proportion of pupils in classes of fewer than 20. They are: Dun Laoghaire/ Rathdown, South Dublin, Fingal, Kildare, Meath , Wicklow, Wexford, Laois, Kilkenny, Carlow, Waterford county, Cork county and Limerick county.
The 70,000 junior infants starting in primary schools this week have pushed enrolments to their highest levels for more than 20 years – and about 10,000 more than last September as more children pour into schools, the number in classes of 30 or more has risen by 8,000 since 2011/12 to over 121,000 in 2012/13. It is up from 97,000 in 2010/11.
That amounts to an overall average of 23.5 of primary pupils – almost one in four or – in “supersize” classes, up from 22.3pc the previous year, as a result of growing enrolments and cuts in staffing in small primary schools. At the same time, the proportion of pupils in classes of fewer than 20 has dropped to 10.6pc, from 11.9pc in 2011/12.
Faced with rising enrolments, at both primary and secondlevel, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has made a commitment to provide a school place for every child and this term has seen the opening of seven new primary schools to serve growing populations.
But while schools are being built to accommodate numbers, classrooms are getting more crowded.
The Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) said that at the same time as class sizes were rising, non-class teachers were being cut from the system.
“More and more responsibility is being put on the class teacher to meet the needs of children with little English, special needs or disadvantaged backgrounds,” said INTO general secretary Sheila Nunan
According to the INTO, smaller classes are most important when children are young.
www.independent.ie
Dréachtbhille do Ligean Isteach ar Scoil á fhoilsiú ag an Aire Quinn chun ligean isteach páistí i mbunscoileanna agus iar-bhunscoileanna a rialú
Meán Fómhair 3, 2013
Dréachtbhille do Ligean Isteach ar Scoil á fhoilsiú ag an Aire Quinn chun ligean isteach páistí i mbunscoileanna agus iar-bhunscoileanna a rialú.
Tá na rialacháin beartaithe chun bheith mar bhun agus mar thaca le próiseas cothrom, trédhearcach rollaithe faoina seachnaítear leithdháileadh ionaid scoile de réir liostaí feithimh agus faoina gcosctar scoileanna ar éarlaisí nó íocaíochtaí a iarraidh mar chuid den phróiseas ligin isteach.
Tá an tAire Oideachais agus Scileanna, Ruairí Quinn TD, tar éis Dréachtscéim Ghinearálta a fhoilsiú do Bhille Oideachais (Ligean Isteach ar Scoil), 2013 mar aon le dréachtrialacháin chun a bpléite sula n-achtófar an reachtaíocht.
Faoi na cinn bille atá faofa ag an gComh-aireacht, beartaítear creat nua cothromasach, comhsheasmhach a thacóidh le tuismitheoirí, chun an polasaí faoi ligean isteach ar scoil a rialú do na 4,000 bunscoil agus iar-bhunscoil ar fad. Má achtaítear an creat seo ina dhlí, cuirfear feabhas ar an rochtain ar scoileanna do na daltaí uile agus cinnteofar go mbeidh comhsheasmhacht, cothroime agus trédhearcacht ag baint leis na polasaithe faoi ligean isteach atá ag na scoileanna uile.
Tá sé d’aidhm ag an Aire feabhas a chur ar an bpróiseas ligin isteach chun a chinntiú go gcinneann na scoileanna ar iarratais i mbealach struchtúrtha, cothrom, trédhearcach. Táthar ag iarraidh a shocrú faoin dréachtbhille nach ar thuismitheoirí a bheidh an dualgas achomharc a dhéanamh in aghaidh cinntí scoileanna ionad a dhiúltú dá gclann – cuirfidh sé seo deireadh leis an gcóras casta achomharc chuig an Roinn atá ann faoi láthair faoi Alt 29 den Acht Oideachais, as a dtagann cásanna cúirte uaireanta.
Cuirfidh na bearta atá tograithe ar chumas an Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna éileamh ar scoileanna comhoibriú leis nuair a tharlaíonn díospóidí a bhaineann le ligean isteach. Beidh sé ar chumas an Aire chomh maith duine neamhspleách a cheapadh faoi dheoidh chun an próiseas rollaithe a chur i bhfeidhm áit a mbeidh scoil tar éis diúltú a cuid cleachtas a leasú de réir na reachtaíochta.
Déantar iarracht faoi na dréachtrialacháin cothrom na féinne a thabhairt do theaghlaigh atá tar éis cur fúthu i gceantar nó atá ag filleadh chun cónaithe ann mar aon lena chinntiú nach mbeidh ioncam na dtuismitheoirí nó a gcumas chun táillí iontrála a íoc ina mbonn leis an gcinneadh faoi ligean isteach ar scoil. Cuirfear deireadh faoi na rialacháin chomh maith leis na “bacainní boga” a théann i gcion ar pháistí a mbíonn riachtanais speisialta oideachais acu.
Faoi na tograí:
- Ní ligfí do scoileanna iarratais ar ligean isteach a ghlacadh roimh 1ú Deireadh Fómhair na bliana roimh bhliain an rollaithe ach go gceadófaí tréimhse níos faide ná sin i gcás scoileanna cónaithe.
- Bheadh sé ar chumas an Aire a rialú nach ceadaithe táillí iontrála ar bith a iarraidh nó a ghearradh mar choinníoll le hiarratas a dhéanamh ar ligean isteach ar scoil.
- Ní bheadh scoileanna in ann agallaimh a chur ar thuismitheoirí agus páistí roimh an rollú.
- Áit gur féidir le scoileanna a chruthú go bhfuil liostaí feithimh ar bun acu, is féidir, de mhaolú air sin, ligint dóibh na liostaí sin a ghlanadh thar thréimhse roinnt blianta.
- Ligfear do scoileanna tús áite a thabhairt d’iarratasóir gur siblín é/í le mac léinn nó iarmhac léinn de chuid na scoile.
- Déileálfar le hachomhairc ag leibhéal na scoile faoi shocruithe simplithe.
“Creidim go bhfuil bealach níos fearr ann le déileáil le ligean isteach ar scoil. Baineann na bearta seo le ‘dea-bhainistí’, mar a déarfá, agus tiocfaidh breis trédhearcachta, cothroime agus comhsheasmhachta astu sa tslí ina bhfeidhmeoidh scoileanna a gcuid próiseas ligin isteach,” adúirt an tAire Quinn.
“Bíodh is nach mian liom cur isteach an iomarca ar bhainistíocht scoile ó lá go lá, tá cothromaíocht bainte amach ag an gcreat nua rialála, atá beartaithe, idir neamhspleáchas na scoileanna agus cothroime inár gcóras oideachais agus d’éileodh sé ar scoileanna seirbhís níos fearr a chur ar fáil do thuismitheoirí. Leasú suntasach ar an tseirbhís phoiblí atá sa chreat a bhfuil sé d’aidhm aige feabhas mór a chur ar an dtaithí a bhíonn ag an bpobal i dtaca le ligean isteach mac léinn ar scoileanna.”
Eiseofar an Dréachtscéim Ghinearálta agus na dréachtrialacháin chuig Comhchoiste an Oireachtais um Oideachas agus Coimirce Shóisialach inniu, chun deis a thabhairt ar phlé iomlán poiblí, ionchuir ó thuismitheoirí agus na comhpháirtithe oideachais san áireamh.
“Tá súil agam go mbreithneoidh an Comhchoiste an cheist seo go luath i dtreo is go bhféadfaimid dul ar aghaidh go dtí an chéad chéim eile leis an reachtaíocht a luaithe is féidir,” adúirt an tAire. “I gcaitheamh an phróisis seo ar fad, ba mhian liom a chinntiú go mbeadh próiseas cóir, cothrom ligin isteach ar scoil againn. Tá fhios agam go bhfuil an-chuid tuismitheoirí sásta leis na scoileanna a bhfreastalaíonn a gclann orthu. Ach tá cásanna ann ina bhfuil díomá agus míshástacht i gceist agus gan ach bealaigh teoranta ann chun déileáil leis seo.”
Ta foilsiú na gceann bille agus na ndréachtrialachán ag teacht i ndiaidh phróiseas phoiblí comhairlithe a reáchtáladh in 2011.
“Is mian liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil le gach duine a bhí gafa leis an gcomhairliúchán poiblí faoin ngnó seo go nuige seo, agus tá muinín agam go mbeimid in ann oibriú le chéile i gcónaí chun athrú a chur ar an gcóras ar mhaithe leis na mic léinn, leis na scoileanna agus leis na teaghlaigh go léir,” adúirt an tAire Quinn.
Faoi fhorálacha reatha an Acht Oideachais, 1998, tá teorainn leis na roghanna atá ar fáil don Aire chun fadhbanna a thagann chun cinn ag an leibhéal áitiúil a réiteach. Cinnte, tugtar cumhacht don Aire faoin reachtaíocht “ligean isteach páistí ar scoileanna” a rialú. Cumhacht ghinearálta atá ann, áfach, agus ní leagtar amach go follasach san Acht fairsinge ná scóip rialachán dá leithéid.
Leagtar amach faoi na forálacha eile bainteacha san Acht gur feidhm scoile é polasaí a bhunú agus a chothabháil, agus déantar foráil do phróiseas achomharc faoi Alt 29 den reachtaíocht.
Faoi láthair, níl, i ndáiríre, ach dhá réiteach ann de réir dlí chun fadhbanna a réiteach a bhaineann le cleachtas maidir le ligean isteach ar scoil. Ceann díobh is ea córas achomharc Ailt 29 atá luaite thuas. Faoin réiteach eile, tá cumhacht ag pátrún scoile nó ag an Aire chun an bord bainistíochta a dhíscaoileadh áit a bhfuil buairt ann faoin gcaoi ina bhfuil Bord tar éis a chuid feidhmeanna a chur i ngníomh. Ábhar buartha a bheadh ann dá mbeifí in amhras go raibh droch-chleachtas ar siúl maidir le ligean isteach ar scoil.
Bíodh is go bhfuil próiseas achomharc curtha ar fáil faoi Alt 29 do thuismitheoirí agus mic léinn ní dhéantar aon idirdhealú faoi idir an cás ina ndiúltaítear páiste a rollú de bharr gur mó líon na n-iarratas ná líon na n-ionad atá ar fáil (ró-shuibscríobh) agus an cás inar amhlaidh nach bhfuil mac léinn in ann ionad a fháil i scoil ar bith i gceantar. Tugadh an iliomad achomharc faoi Alt 29 i gcásanna ró-shuibscríofa agus cruthaíodh ualach suntasach riaracháin do scoileanna.
Ráiteas GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. maidir leis an nDréachtbhille do Ligean Isteach ar Scoil
Meán Fómhair 3, 2013
Fáiltíonn GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. roimh fhoilsiú an dréacht-bhille rollacháin scoile do bhunscoileanna agus iarbhunscoileanna. Ar an 2 Meán Fómhair 2013 d’fhoilsigh an tAire Oideachais agus Scileanna, Ruairí Quinn TD, dréachtscéim Ghinearálta do Bhille Oideachais (Ligean Isteach ar Scoil), 2013 mar aon le dréachtrialacháin chun a bpléite sula n-achtófar an reachtaíocht.
Is mian le GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. buíochas mór a ghabháil le gach scoil agus le gach duine a chabhraigh lena bhfeachtas sainmheon teanga na scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge a chosaint. Léiríonn an dréacht-bhille dea-thoradh an fheachtais sin sa mhéid is nach mbeidh bac ar scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge tús áite a thabhairt do theaghlaigh lán-Ghaeilge, ná go mbeidh bac ar iarbhunscoileanna lán-Ghaeilge tús áite a thabhairt do ghaelscoileanna mar scoileanna friothálacha.
Faoin rialachán nua:
- Ní ligfí do scoileanna iarratais ar ligean isteach a ghlacadh roimh 1ú Deireadh Fómhair na bliana roimh bhliain an rollaithe ach go gceadófaí tréimhse níos faide ná sin i gcás scoileanna cónaithe.
- Bheadh sé ar chumas an Aire a rialú nach ceadaithe táillí iontrála ar bith a iarraidh nó a ghearradh mar choinníoll le hiarratas a dhéanamh ar ligean isteach ar scoil.
- Ní bheadh scoileanna in ann agallaimh a chur ar thuismitheoirí agus páistí roimh an rollú.
- Áit gur féidir le scoileanna a chruthú go bhfuil liostaí feithimh ar bun acu, is féidir, de mhaolú air sin, ligint dóibh na liostaí sin a ghlanadh thar thréimhse roinnt blianta.
- Ligfear do scoileanna tús áite a thabhairt d’iarratasóir gur siblín é/í le mac léinn nó iarmhac léinn de chuid na scoile.
- Déileálfar le hachomhairc ag leibhéal na scoile.
Aithníonn GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. go bhfuil tuiscint léirithe sa dréacht bhille seo ar riachtanais na scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge leis an mbunchosaint atá ann don sainmheon teanga sa phróiseas iontrála. Is ábhar imní é áfach i gcás scoileanna a bhfuil ró-éileamh orthu go mbeidh bac orthu agallamh a chur ar thuismitheoirí, modh oibre atá ag roinnt scoileanna chun cumas agus nósmhaireacht teanga clainne a thomhais. Dúshlán an-mhór eile atá sonraithe sa dréachtbhille ná go mbeidh bac ar thosaíocht a thabhairt don fhreastal ar réamhscoil / naíonra. Aithnítear sa teoiric agus sa chleachtas go bhfuil fíor-thábhacht leis an luath-thumadh sa Ghaeilge sa naíonra mar ullmhúchán don bhunscoil lán-Ghaeilge, agus leagann an-chuid bunscoileanna lán-Ghaeilge an-bhéim ar an eispéireas foghlama seo sa pholasaí rollacháin.
Deir Bláthnaid ní Ghréacháin, Ardfheidhmeannach GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. “táimid ag súil le dul i ngleic anois leis an bpróiseas comhairliúcháin faoi impleachtaí na mbeart atá molta. Táimid ag fanacht ar dháta le dul os chomhair an Chomhchoiste Oideachais agus tuigtear dúinn go dtarlóidh sé laistigh de cúpla seachtain. Idir an dá linn fáilteoimid roimh thuairimí na scoileanna maidir leis na himpleachtaí praiticiúla lena mbaineann”.
Education groups welcome proposals
Meán Fómhair 3, 2013
Admission Bill would transfer appeals process back to schools
School management organisations have concerns about impact on administration
Plans to eradicate school waiting lists have been welcomed by education and parents’ groups: Plans to eradicate school waiting lists and booking deposits for school places have been broadly welcomed by education and parents’ groups.
The proposed Admission To Schools Bill would also make it more difficult for schools to discriminate on the grounds of limited resources in cases where children have special learning needs.
“For too long, young people with special educational needs have been deprived of the opportunity to attend the school of their choice and the proposed legislation should eliminate this discretionary practice,” said Michael Moriarty of Education and Training Boards Ireland.
However, school management organisations have expressed concerns about how the changes might impact on administration. The draft Bill proposes to remove the current system that allows parents to make an appeal to the Department of Education where they are unhappy with a school decision on student admission, known as a section 29 appeal.
The new scheme, details of which were published by the Department of Education yesterday, would transfer the appeals process back to schools.
Religious patronage
Ferdia Kelly of the Joint Managerial Body, which represents 400 voluntary secondary schools with religious patronage across the country, says his members are not in favour of a “cumbersome” appeals process.
“We don’t want an appeals process that will bog us down in bureaucracy. The section 29 appeal process is working well. There are fewer than 300 appeals lodged each year, out of well over 100,000 admissions, and less than half are successful. This is because most schools’ admission policies, as they currently stand, are working.”
Mr Kelly said it was important not to create false expectations for parents. “In a situation where demand exceeds supply, someone will always be disappointed.”
Booking deposits
Don Myers, president of the National Parents Council – Post Primary, said he welcomed “some aspects” of the Bill.
“We get a lot of queries from parents regarding the demand for booking deposits and we feel they should not be charged.
“I understand that schools have an issue with parents putting their child’s name down on a number of lists and that may be why this practice has developed.
“However, it works both ways, and often parents don’t get that money back if a place is not offered.”
However, Mr Myers said the Bill would not do away with undersupply in a small number of key schools where problems arise.
“Where you have a number of schools in an area, one will be seen as the best. Not everyone can get in there.”
Draft Bill
Áine Lynch of the National Parents Council – Primary, said yesterday’s draft Bill had “moved the discussion on”.
“Booking deposits were never an issue at primary level, but recently they have become a major feature. This bill, if enacted, would do away with that problem.
“The inability of some students to access certain schools may be a problem for a minority, but for those it affects it is very significant.
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Fresh air and exercise books at Crann
Meán Fómhair 3, 2013
Meath pre-schoolers started their education ‘al fresco’ yesterday in three of only four outdoor schools in the country.
Nearly 60 children will learn how to count with stones and create with muck and water at the open-air facilities in Navan, Trim, and Ballivor. The only other such school in the country is in Co Donegal.
In Meath, the initiative was started nearly three years ago in Navan by the Crann Support Group and further branches were opened in Trim and Ballivor last year. All schooling is done through Irish.
According to CEO Marie Daly: “In Denmark, the bus arrives for the children at 8am and takes them up the mountains to the woods for their pre-school day. It’s been long acknowledged in Scandinavian countries that the outdoors is far better for building up immune systems. The children love it — it’s the mindset of parents that we have to change.
“After all, there’s no such thing as bad weather — just inappropriate clothing! However, in cases of high winds or bad frost, the school management do take precautions and delay bringing the children out to the garden until the weather improves.
“The children wear special thermal and waterproof gear and stay in the garden for most of the day. We have no plastic in the outdoor school, just things like an old Aga cooker and pots and pans, where they can cook with muck and water.
“The young students sit on logs and learn how to count with stones. There is an old Traveller wagon for story-time as well. It’s the exact same programme as pre-schoolers learn indoors — only we do it inside-out.”
Ms Daly said many parents have seen the benefits of outdoor education in their children’s health — especially those with respiratory ailments. “One parent told me that their child was hospitalised four times with asthma last year but since they started here, they only had one minor attack,” she said.
All schools are approved by the Early Childhood Care and Education Scheme for free places. The Crann Support Group provides sustainable and affordable community childcare in Co Meath. More on the pre-schools and the group’s childcare services can be found at www.crannsupportgroup.ie
www.irishexaminer.com
Overhauling school admission
Meán Fómhair 3, 2013
A commitment to introduce a fair and transparent admission system for primary and secondary schools represents a small advance.
The draft legislation from Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn is likely to be regarded in some quarters as an attack on the autonomy of fee-paying schools. But it will have wider implications in promoting greater diversity and transparency in the way in which all State-funded and fee-paying schools operate their intake policies.
The Bill will go to an Oireachtas committee for consideration and Mr Quinn has signalled his willingness to respond to “reasonable suggestions for improvement”.
In view of the critical surveys and consultation processes that underpin these proposals further changes are likely to be small. The measures will apply to all 4,000 primary and post-primary schools and are designed to remove discriminatory practices against the admission of children with disabilities, from poor backgrounds or from immigrant and ethnic groups. Legislation will also provide for a parent-friendly appeals system.
The Bill goes further than addressing the elitist practices of most fee-paying schools. It identifies various forms of discrimination, exclusion and preferment that have operated right across the education system.
Specifically, it states that schools may not refuse admittance because of special education needs, sexual orientation, family status, race, faith or religious tradition. In addition, schools will not be allowed to charge application fees; operate waiting lists or interview parents or their children for school places. Fee-paying schools, in particular, have been accused of operating “soft barriers” to exclude children with special educational needs; of maintaining long waiting lists and of operating enrolment policies that are not transparent.
While not wishing to “overly intrude” in the day-to-day operation of schools, Mr Quinn has made it clear institutions receiving State funds will have to introduce fair and transparent admission policies.
Schools will be required to publish enrolment criteria and, where waiting lists exist, they will be asked to phase them out within five years. It sounds like a tough approach and, considering the disjointed system that exists, it is. However, schools that consciously discriminate through intake practices are unlikely to come out with their hands up.
At primary school level, once enrolment priorities have been published, such as living near the school, having a sibling as a former pupil or ensuring the characteristic spirit of the school, old systems may continue. Religious ethos can be used to prioritise membership of a particular church as a condition for enrolment. That is likely to cause social friction because of a rising birth rate and Catholic Church control of 90 per cent of primary schools.
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