All-Irish schools fight for teachers
March 16, 2011
MORE than 40 all-Irish primary schools will lose teachers next September following a change in the current favourable pupil-teacher ratio in Gaelscoileanna.
They will have the same ratio as the English-medium schools, a change that will particularly hit Gaelic schools with between three and eight teachers. A campaign to retain the present ratio was launched yesterday by Gaelscoileanna Teo, whose president, Micheal O Broin, said the present system recognised the considerable extra workload involved in running an Irish-medium school, such as implementing the entire curriculum through the medium of Irish.
Up to 31 schools will lose one teacher, four schools will lose two teachers and administrative principals will have to return to the classroom in the case of six schools. As a consequence, the number of pupils in classes will increase and there will many mixed classes with a high number of children in them, he said.
Irish Independent
Call for separate Irish language and literature courses
March 16, 2011
AN COIMISINÉIR Teanga Seán Ó Cuirreáin has proposed that Irish-language tuition be split into two separate school courses as part of the promised Government review.
Mr Ó Cuirreáin said one course could focus on the language basics for non-native speakers. A second course would focus on literature and language history as an option for native speakers and those pupils with a good command of Irish. He was speaking in Galway yesterday at the publication of his annual report which found only 1.5 per cent of the administrative staff of the Department of Education and Skills could provide a service in Irish. The same department was among a number of public bodies which were subject to almost a dozen investigations by his staff under the provisions of the Official Languages Act.
Mr Ó Cuirreáin welcomed the Government’s commitment to review Irish-language tuition. The programme for government has dropped the Fine Gael proposal to abandon compulsory Irish for the Leaving Certificate, and Mr Ó Cuirreáin said a review was a far better option. However, he agreed there was a need for reform of the current system, whereby children are given 1,500 hours of Irish-language tuition over 13 years in primary and secondary school and still leave without a “basic ability”. “We are not getting value for money. The basic ability is not there when children are leaving [education]. There is a school of thought that we should possibly have two different courses. One would be a communications course where the emphasis would be on writing, reading and speaking Irish, and only on that,! he said.
“A second course would be for people with a natural interest in the language: literature, poetry, drama and so on.” Mr Ó Cuirreáin said a language-based course could result in school-leavers having sufficient command of the language to “watch TG4 or read a newspaper … Certainly abandoning the language will not achieve that.” Mr Ó Cuirreáin described as “alarming” the confirmation by his office that only 1.5 per cent of the administrative staff of the Department of Education and Skills could provide service in Irish – a decrease of 50 per cent in the past five years. He also described as a “myth” the suggestion that translating official documents to Irish cost far more than their production in English. He noted that the full cost of translating Clare County Council’s draft development plan for the six-year period between 2011 and 2017 was EUR10,112 – less than one-third of the amount suggested in a media report.
However, an investigation by his office found it cost over EUR350,000 to prepare such a document in English. “This equates to 97.3 per cent of the budget for the English version and 2.7 per cent for the Irish version,” he said. Very few official documents were required by law to be provided bilingually, he said. Current legislation allowed for publication electronically rather than in print form, as long as both official languages were treated equally. Some 700 complaints were made last year to the commissioner about difficulties accessing State services through Irish – more complaints than were made in any year since the office was first established, he said. Most complaints were resolved through informal negotiation with the relevant public body, or by providing advice to the complainant.
The Irish Times – Lorna Siggins
Language chief suggests splitting Irish into two
March 16, 2011
Leabhair do pháistí le fail saor in aisce
March 16, 2011
Ábhar dóchais agus éadóchais ag an Choimisinéir Teanga
March 16, 2011
Áiseanna digiteacha úra sa seomra ranga
March 16, 2011
How Quinn can make a difference
March 16, 2011
The new Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn has the unenviable task of boosting standards in Irish education with virtually no additional investment. Here’s an 11-point action plan to help him turn things around
1 PUT YOUR HANDS UP AND ADMIT THERE ARE DEEP-SEATED PROBLEMS IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM
For decades, successive ministers for education have congratulated teachers on our world class education system – even as some of the same teachers pointed to an alarming decline in standards. Batt O’Keeffe broke the mould in 2009 by raising awkward questions about the quality of Irish graduates – and by refusing to act as a cheerleader for the Irish education system. Late last year, the latest OECD world rankings confirmed the Irish system was nothing like as good as we thought. Almost a quarter of our 15 year-olds are functionally illiterate. On reading levels, Ireland has slipped from fifth place in 2000 to 17th place, the sharpest decline among the 39 countries surveyed. In maths, Ireland has fallen from 16th to 26th place, the second steepest decline among participating countries. Ireland is now ranked as below average in maths. The new Minister’s first message should be to acknowledge these deep-seated problems and end the culture of complacency. The signs are good. On the day after his appointment as Minister for Education and Skills last week, Ruairí Quinn described the OECD rankings as a “wake- up call’’ for the Irish education system .
2 ABOLISH BOTH THE JUNIOR AND LEAVING CERT
Neither exam is fit for purpose. And don’t just take my word for it. Talk to US multinationals about their difficulty in recruiting top-class graduates in key areas. Or listen to Tom Boland, head of the Higher Education Authority. He says many students weaned on the rote-learning culture of the Leaving struggle to adjust at third level. The Junior and Leaving Cert exams seem increasingly out of place in an era of smart technology. We want an education system which promotes independent learning and critical thinking and one which encourages students to be multilingual and at the cutting edge of technology. That’s why both exams should be scrapped. One piece of advice: set a time limit for the review of both exams which has been promised in the Programme for Government. And make sure the review team is full of radical, bold thinkers. The traditional education taskforce – made up of nominees from the teaching unions is exactly what’s not required. Their main agenda is to protect members. You need people who will take a wider view.
And while you’re at it, review the CAO points system which has not been subject to serious scrutiny since the 1999 Points Commission.
3 MAKE SURE EVERY TEACHER AT SECOND LEVEL IS QUALIFIED TO TEACH THE SUBJECT FOR WHICH THEY ARE TIMETABLED
It sounds straightforward. Every teacher should be qualified to teach their subject. But it’s not always the case in Irish schools . Astonishingly, 48 per cent of our maths teachers at second level are not qualified in the subject. The practice of finding a teacher, any teacher, to take the maths or biology class must be banned. Our children deserve better.
The Minister might also end the system where key subjects are unavailable in some schools or only available at ordinary level. Make the system more flexible so that students can take different classes in different schools; a practice increasingly common in the North.
4 REFORM TEACHER EDUCATION AT BOTH PRIMARY AND SECOND LEVELS – EXTEND THE TIME AND CHANGE THE CONTENT OF THE COURSES
To update yourself, read a recent report from the Teaching Council (the professional body for teachers) on Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, one of the largest teacher training colleges in the State. The report said trainee teachers spend too much time studying religion; the time allocated for religion was four times that for science. It also said that programme overload meant students do not have time “to critically reflect on their professional development and practice”. The new Minister should support the review of teacher training initiated by his predecessor – and make it a priority. He might also question why five State-funded teacher training colleges are controlled by the Catholic church.
5 MAKE MORE INFORMATION ON SCHOOLS AVAILABLE TO PARENTS AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY
For years, there has been a culture of secrecy in Irish education with virtually no information flow to parents. The Irish Times’ much copied Feeder School Lists have opened up a shaft of light. But parents can still struggle to get the information they need to make one of the most important decisions of their lives, namely, which school is best for my child?
One of the most common criticisms of school league tables is that they stigmatise schools in disadvantaged areas. But what’s the alternative? Ignoring the problem of some schools and pretending they don’t exist? Prof Colm Harmon of UCD” one of the few students from Ballyfermot Senior College to go on to university – recently backed an Australian-style system where exam results of all schools are posted on a website. “If there are great disparities in results and entrance to third-level education between different schools they should be highlighted. The information should be available to everybody, including researchers, and then the problems can by addressed by targeting more resources to those schools.’’ The bad news? The new Government already appears to have backed away from a Fine Gael plan which would have required all schools to publish exam results. The new Programme for Government says schools should provide public information “across a wide range of criteria”.
6 TACKLE CAUSE OF LITERACY AND NUMERACY DIFFICULTIES, ESPECIALLY IN DISADVANTAGED SCHOOLS
There are some good ideas in the new Programme for Government on literacy. Disadvantaged primary schools will be required to teach literacy for 120 minutes a day. But more detail is required on how this will work. Early childhood care is key here so Minister Quinn must work with Frances Fitzgerald, the new Minister for Children. Remember also that many of the problems are outside the school gates. An integrated approach across several departments may be required. Don’t rule out incentives to attract the best teachers to the most difficult schools.
7 SPEAK UP FOR OUR UNIVERSITIES – THEY DESERVE MORE CREDIT
The universities often get a bad press because of the inflated salaries for senior figures and those bloated administrative structures. But they actually do a good job and give very good value to the taxpayer. TCD and UCD, for example, make do with about 60 per cent of the funding available to Edinburgh University yet both are ranked inside the world top 100. What the universities don’t need is micro-management from the Higher Education Authority or the Department of Education. That said, you need to lay down some clear markers. Make sure the taxpayer is getting a bang for his buck when it comes to research funding. Over EUR1 billion has been invested over the past decade and another €UR00 million is promised. But the jobs return on this investment has been poor. Tell the universities to stop competing against each other and look to the common good. End the practice where colleges will “clone’’ a successful courses offered elsewhere.
8 GRASP THE FUNDING NETTLE, DON’T LET IRISH HIGHER EDUCATION DECLINE
Tackling the funding crisis is the biggest issue facing higher education. The sector is struggling to cope with record numbers at a time when its funding is being cut back. The projected 30 per cent increase in student numbers over the next decade will bring the system close to breaking point. We don’t need a review of the Hunt Report and OECD reviews as promised (threatened?) in the Programme for Government. This will only underline the scale of the funding crisis. Here’s the reality. The 26,000 who pay at least EUR5,000 a year for private education at second level can afford to pay fees/loans at third level. Embrace the student loan/graduate tax plan outlined by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. A higher education which is free at the point of entry and links fees to income after graduation is fair and just. Why should the ordinary taxpayer underwrite the EUR35,000 a year needed to train undergraduates in medicine when many proceed to lucrative careers? A parallel system which protects poor and disadvantaged students is also essential. But the basic principle is this – those who can afford to pay for higher education should be asked to make a contribution.
9 BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO THE IRISH LANGUAGE. THE CHALLENGE HERE IS IMMENSE – OVERTURNING 90 YEARS OF FAILED IRISH LANGUAGE POLICY
The key issue is how Irish is taught in schools and how society values the language. Is reading, spelling, writing and grammar introduced too early in primary schools? Would the Minister be brave enough to propose spoken Irish only in primary school? On compulsion, the new Minister might reference an Irish Times poll from 2005. Given a choice, a majority of parents said they would prefer their children to learn a foreign language rather than Irish. Does our society value our language as much as the pro-Irish lobby would have us believe?
10 TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
The failure of the Department of Education to pick up on the decline in educational standards highlighted in last year’s OECD report must raise questions about its overall capacity.
The Department also failed to notice – or to inform anyone – about the persistent grade inflation in Irish third level colleges until two academics in Tralee, Co Kerry, identified the problem. A decade ago, an expert report compiled by Seán Cromien, a former senior civil servant, was scathing about the department. It was, it said, a place where the urgent drives out the important. The Department has raised its game by devolving powers to new agencies like the State Exams Commission but questions linger about its capacity to manage and drive Irish education. Should the so-called Department for Children and Schools be in control of higher education? A key task facing the Minister is to take a hard, critical look at the Department of Education. He will find a good ally in Brigid McManus, the secretary general who is progressive and outward-looking.
11ADOPT A ZERO TOLERANCE APPROACH TOWARDS UNDERPERFORMANCE IN SCHOOLS
The vast majority of teachers in Ireland are high-calibre professionals with a huge commitment to their pupils but there is a minority who underperform. This group can do great damage to pupils and undermine their academic potential. But in the past decade, not one teacher has been sacked for underperformance. The Minister should listen to the concerns of parents and send the message that underperformance in the classroom will not be tolerated.
QUICK FIX: SOME OTHER MOVES THAT COULD HELP
* FIGHT TO KEEP EVERY CENT OF CURRENT FUNDING
There might not be much money swirling around but an education system that runs on two-thirds of the EU average cannot survive with anything less.
* INCREASE CLASS CONTACT TIME FOR SECOND-LEVEL STUDENTS
End the interminable summer holidays, introduced to facilitate farmers in the 1930s but out of kilter in the modern age.
* ALLOW EDUCATE TOGETHER TO EXPAND
Give Educate Together, the multi-denominational school group, the right to open second-level schools.
* ADDRESS THE CHRONIC UNDERPERFORMANCE BY BOYS AT SECOND LEVEL
Encourage co-ed schools at second level; boys do much better in this environment.
* SET UP A NATIONAL FORUM ON SCHOOL PATRONAGE
Follow on quickly on the commitment in the Programme for Government to establish a national forum on school patronage. Proceed with the plan before Diarmuid Martin, the most open advocate of change, seeks a transfer back to Rome. And remember the Irish Times poll finding last year which found that 61 per cent favour transferring control of primary schools from the Catholic Church to the State.
* REVIEW THE PROMINENCE OF IRISH AND RELIGION ON THE CURRICULUM
By some estimates, over 30 per cent of all teaching time in primary schools is taken up by religion and Irish. Is this appropriate in an increasingly secular Ireland – and one where knowledge of a foreign language is so critical for employment. At present, primary schoolchildren receive no foreign language instruction.
* GET TOUGH ON ADMISSION POLICIES
Especially in those fee-paying schools who receive EUR100 million in State support. Penalise any private school where admission policies work to exclude minorities and children with learning needs. Ask the religious orders how they justify their continued support for elite education.
The Irish Times – Seán Flynn
‘Protect the PTR’ Campaign Launched today
March 15, 2011
‘Protect the PTR’ is launched by GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. opposing the Department of Education and Skills’ announcement that there will be a significant increase in the pupil-teacher ratio in gaelscoileanna.
GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. launched a campaign, ‘Protect the PTR’, at a press briefing today in Áras na Comhdhála, Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge in Dublin followed by a celebration of the success of Irish-medium education during ‘Seachtain na Gaeilge’ through a céilí/ music outside Dáil Éireann.
‘Protect the PTR’ is a campaign opposing the announcement by the Department of Education and Skills that will end the current favourable pupil-teacher ratio in gaelscoileanna. It has been announced that gaelscoileanna will have the same PTR as the English-medium schools from September 2011, a change that will have very serious implications, in particular for the Irish-medium schools with between three and eight teachers.
Mícheál Ó Broin, GAELSCOILEANNA TEO.’s president, defended the current system: “The present system acknowledges the challenges facing small Irish-medium schools, allowing them a more favourable pupil-teacher ratio than their English-medium counterparts. This system recognises the considerable extra workload involved in running an Irish-medium school, such as implementing the entire curriculum through the medium of Irish and the lack of resources and supports. The ratio was granted in recognition of the need to protect and strengthen the immersion sector and to protect the schools’ language ethos. There was a compelling educational and language basis for having a more favourable ratio. The Department’s decision to change the ratio is based on a financial rationale rather than on an educational rationale.”
Up to 31 schools will lose one teacher, four schools will lose two teachers and principals will have to return to the classroom in the case of 6 schools. As a consequence the number of pupils in classes will increase and there will be plenty of mixed classes with a high number of children in them. Schools will be compelled to increase their pupil intake by 17-23 pupils in September 2011 if they’re to keep the aforementioned teachers. As most of these schools are no longer classified as developing schools, this is not a reasonable or a realistic expectation. Any previous change in the schedule involved increasing intake by a pupil or two!
Hilda de Róiste, Chairperson of the Board of Management of Gaelscoil Phádraig in Ballybrack, Co. Dublin said: “According to the new schedule for the appointment of teachers from September 2011, we will lose one post and we were hoping that we would entitled to employ an extra teacher in September based on the old figures. Gaelscoil Phádraig has grown and developed despite a lot of difficulties, for example, lack of recognition for two years, a lack of funds and a lack of permanent accommodation. We are based in a disadvantaged area and we don’t have DEIS status, even though the other schools in the area do. We are still based on a small temporary site in prefabricated rooms, and now we’re dealt another terrible blow! It isn’t in any way fair. How can anyone say that it is acceptable to ask schools to take in an extra 20 children in September 2011 in one fell swoop to keep their teachers? How can the Department defend that? This decision is an attack on Irish-medium education that contradicts the Government’s statements that illustrate the importance and efficiencies of the all-Irish schools. The Government should withdraw this decision immediately.”
This is a radical and disastrous change which will leave schools sustaining staff loses and larger class sizes. It will also result in a significantly less effective immersion education experience for the pupil. This decision also has severe implications for teacher employment, particularly for those teachers who don’t have panel rights and taking into consideration that there is no panel which represents the needs of teachers in gaelscoileanna.
Caoimhín Ó hEaghra, General Secretary of An Foras Pátrúnachta na Scoileanna Lán-Ghaeilge Teo. criticised the decision: “Our schools believe that they are being attacked by the Department of Education and their needs ignored. If the Department persists with this policy, teachers will lose their jobs. The Department have yet to ratify a panel for the schools represented by An Foras Pátrúnachta, even though this panel was agreed to in principle back in 2004. This, coupled with the lack of suitable accommodation in the majority of schools raises serious questions about the Department’s attitude to Irish-medium education. An Foras Pátrúnachta are committed to protecting the Irish-medium sector, therefore, we strongly support this campaign.”
Mícheál Ó Broin has demanded that the Government keep its word with regard to Irish-medium education, by treating gaelscoileanna fairly: “Despite the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language, which acknowledges the pivotal role of Irish-medium education for the language’s future, the sector is losing rather than gaining Departmental support. This decision raises questions about the Department’s attitude to Irish-medium education. Killer blow follows killer blow! Not only are gaelscoileanna unjustly suffering the effects of unsuitable accommodation and reduced supports; the bottom is falling out of the sector, stretched to breaking point by increased pressure on diminishing resources. It is scandalous and unacceptable that Irish-medium schools should suffer again, I ask the new Education Minister to reconsider this unfair decision and to give Irish-medium education the respect and fair treatment it deserves.”
GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. is the co-ordinated organisation for Irish-medium schools. It assists parents and local groups in the founding of new schools and also supports established schools.
Ends.
Further Information: Mícheál Ó Broin 087-9467700 / Nóra Ní Loingsigh 087-6737560
Gaelscoil Bharra and Gaelscoil Sáirséal on TV3
March 11, 2011
Watch the clip: MidWeek
Gaelspraoi
March 11, 2011
