Online debate over Education Minister’s stance on Irish language
December 12, 2012
Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn today has said that the amount of time spent on the teaching of Irish and religion in primary schools is an issue of concern.
The statement has prompted debate online once again over the status of the Irish language in the education system with many Irish language speakers responding on Facebook and Twitter to the remarks.
According to a report published on the Irish Examiner and Breaking News websites today, the Minister is quoted as saying “the official time allocation for religion and Irish is high relative to other subjects. Am I personally concerned by that? Yes I am. But this is a choice that parents and teachers and the patrons of schools have to make.”
A recent international study has found that while Ireland’s level of reading, maths and science skills is above average, the country’s schools failed to make it on to the list of top schools.
The subject became a hot topic during the 2011 general election when the Labour Party, among others, came out against Fine Gael’s proposal to remove Irish as a core Leaving Certificate subject, a proposal which was later abandoned.
Minister Ruairí Quinn has said that he believes too much time is spent on the teaching of Irish and Religion, and he has expressed the same views since becoming Minister for Education. The Minister raised the question of time spent on Irish and religion in April and claimed at the time that the subject would need to be reconsidered id literacy and numeracy skills are to improve.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
We’re failing to prepare pupils for jobs of the future
December 12, 2012
IRISH 10-year-olds have been outperformed in science and maths in international tests, prompting new concerns about how well the education system is equipping students for jobs of the future.
Ireland ranked 10th out of 45 in reading, 17th out of 50 in maths and 22nd out of 50 in science in the world’s largest educational assessments at primary school level.
Irish pupils scored above average in all three areas – but while they were among the best in reading, they fell significantly behind many top-performing countries in maths and science.
Ireland has scored no better at science or maths than when similar tests were carried out in 1995 – when science wasn’t even on the primary curriculum.
Tony Donohoe, head of education policy with employers’ organisation IBEC, expressed concern at Ireland’s science ranking. He said: “Our performance could, at best, be described as average and given our aspirations to be a knowledge-based economy, average is not good enough.”
Mr Donohoe said Ireland had a particular interest in developing a pipeline of science and technology skills to maintain and develop competitiveness.
One of the issues highlighted in the reports is the amount of teaching time devoted to the different subjects in primary schools. Mr Donohoe noted that Irish pupils spent 25pc less time learning science than the survey average, and significantly less time than the top countries. Ireland is close to the bottom of the league in terms of tuition time for science, at the lower end of the scale for maths, and at the high end for reading.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn welcomed the aboveaverage performance by Irish pupils in all three tests, but added: “We cannot be complacent. Clearly, we need to improve our teaching of mathematics and science at all levels.”
Mr Quinn said that he would like to see more time devoted to science and maths in schools, rather than Irish and religion. He noted that the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) was currently conducting a review of time spent teaching all subjects at primary level and said he was awaiting the outcome with interest.
The studies, known as TIMSS (maths and science) and PIRLS (reading) were carried out among about 300,000 pupils internationally – including about 4,500 in Ireland in spring 2011. Since then, teaching time for maths and reading has been increased in primary schools under the new Literacy and Numeracy Strategy.
While primary pupils spend an hour a week on science, Department of Education rules require them to spend two-and-a-half hours a week on religion. Other studies have shown that Irish primary pupils spend only 4pc of their class time on science – half the international average of 8pc. By comparison, primary schools devote 10pc of teaching time to religion, two-and-a-half times more than the international average of 4pc.
Irish National Teachers’ Organisation general secretary Sheila Nunan said having increased the time allocated to maths in the curriculum “we now need to look at doing the same for science”.
She said that aspects of science were relatively new in Irish primary schools and outcomes were relatively good despite the fact that most teachers did not have a background in chemistry and physics in Leaving Cert. “Government needs to support ongoing professional development for teachers in this area. Funding must also be found for proper science equipment to support inquiry and experiment in the classroom.”
Irish Primary Principals Network director Sean Cottrell said the findings were “encouraging, but should be treated as a call to action rather than just a reason to rest on our laurels”.
Reduced
Five countries performed significantly better than Ireland in reading: Hong Kong, Finland, Singapore, the Russian Federation and Northern Ireland.
In maths, Ireland was significantly below countries such as Singapore, Korea, Japan, Northern Ireland, Finland, England and the US. In science, Irish students were significantly below Korea, Singapore, Finland, Japan, the US, Sweden and England.
Ireland has, however, reduced the proportion of really weak pupils in reading and maths, attributed to extra resources put into schools to support students suffering a disadvantage.
www.independent.ie
Hope of ‘world-class system’ some way off
December 12, 2012
The time allocated to maths and science in primary schools may have to increase
In absolute terms, Ireland has performed well in the new international rankings. Irish children in fourth class are performing at above average levels in literacy, maths and science.
The Irish primary education system is performing reasonably well in reading and Irish students are performing at a high level. But when set against the lofty ambitions set for it by government, the performance is less impressive.
The Irish education system is good but still something less than the “world-class system” regularly trumpeted by successive ministers for education. To coin a term: we are good, but not great.
One awkward fact emerges from the reports – Ireland is not ranked among the top performers in reading, maths or science. Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn – who has criticised the complacency about overall standards in the education system – said yesterday that “pupils in a number of other countries are performing significantly above the performance of Irish students’’ .
Overall plan
What’s the problem on maths and science? When in opposition Quinn was in no doubt. Taken together, the teaching of religion and Irish absorbed more than 20 per cent of teaching time at primary level. Essentially, he made the case for recasting the day in primary schools with a focus on maths and science .
As Minister , Quinn is actively pursuing the issue. As part of his overall plan to boost literacy and numeracy, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has been asked to examine the time dedicated to each subject in the primary school curriculum.
At present only 4 per cent of all curriculum time is allocated to science in primary schools, the second lowest in the developed world. Time allocated to maths (12 per cent) and science is also well below the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average (16 per cent and 8 per cent respectively).
Time allocated
Unsurprisingly, the report shows a direct correlation between the time allocated to a subject and student performance in that subject.
Ireland allocates a high proportion of teaching time to reading ( in both English and Irish) and the results are encouraging. But results are less impressive in maths and science, where less time is allocated.
Yesterday, Quinn hinted he was still impatient for change. “The official time allocation for religion and Irish is high relative to other subjects.
“Am I personally concerned by that? Yes I am. But this is a choice that parents and teachers and the patrons of schools have to make.”
www.irishtimes.com
Future of Irish organisations to be decided Wednesday
December 11, 2012
Ministers from the Irish government and the Northern Ireland executive will meet together in Armagh tomorrow, December 12th to decide the fate of 19 Irish language organisations currently core-funded by language body Foras na Gaeilge.
Organisations have expressed their dismay that the new funding model for the voluntary sector was not presented to organisations prior to the meeting of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) tomorrow.
The proposed funding model is the latest structure to be proffered by Foras na Gaeilge as a solution to the direction of the NSMC in 2009 to review the method by which funding is provided to groups core-funded by Foras na Gaeilge.
The 19 organisations include a wide range of educational, community, childcare, arts and advocacy groups.
A new funding model
Earlier this month, members of Fóram na nEagras Gaeilge, which represents 80% of the core-funded groups, wrote to both Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs Dinny McGinley TD and his northern counterpart Minister for Arts and Culture Carál Ní Chuilín MLA. The letter expressed dismay at the lack of consultation on the latest funding structure.
The letter stated that the organisations were “deeply concerned that the core-funded bodies have had no input into the process, the outcome of which will have significant implications for the sector, for the services we provide, and for the future of the Irish language on the island of Ireland”.
The letter also criticises manner by which this new funding model was created, which followed the side-lining of an earlier competitive model in the spring.
“Although there have been a number of individual and themed meetings between organisations and Foras na Gaeilge, An Fóram wishes to put it on record that there has been no meaningful engagement with the Sector regarding any new proposal/proposals. Requests for a meeting between the Sector and Foras na Gaeilge were not granted, and our requests for further information were repeatedly denied”.
Foras na Gaeilge has in the meantime taken the next steps in the process and has written to the management of the Irish language organisations instructing them not to enter in or engage in any temporary or permanent contracts with any other parties.
It has also come to light that a committee of Foras na Gaeilge recently explored its role in the pay-out of redundancy claims in the event of the closure of the organisations at a meeting of a steering committee on November 19th last.
What is the new funding structure?
Foras na Gaeilge has declined to publish any details of the new funding model but it is understood that that the new model is based around developing partnerships with a number of organisations in specific strategic areas.
It would appear that Foras na Gaeilge have selected the strategic areas in the context of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish language, the proposed Draft Strategy for Protecting and Enhancing the Development of the Irish language in Northern Ireland, as well as the Gaeltacht Act 2012.
It is understood the below are the strategic work areas chosen by Foras na Gaeilge:
• Irish medium education
• Education through English and for Adult Learners.
• Community Development
• Development of Network and Usage Opportunities for Young People
• Activities to Support the Usage of Irish
• Language Awareness, and Representation
The work areas will be core-funded and the lead partner in each area will be allowed to pro-vide service level agreements for a period not longer than 18 months.
Foras na Gaeilge don’t expect the service level agreements to be still in place by January 2015, and by this time the lead partners will be expected to have accrued the necessary expe-rience, expertise and resources to carryout the work of the strategic area.
It has also come to light that none of the organisations who are based solely in Northern Ireland have been approached in relation to becoming a lead partner in any of the six strategic areas.
The ‘new’ funding model
Another model, ‘An tSamhail Nua Mhaoinithe’ was the focus of two public consultations in the past two years after it was first announced by Foras na Gaeilge in May 2010, following the prior approval of the NSMC.
The competitive model would see organisations compete for funding within separate portfo-lios including the arts, education, family support, community support, childcare and advocacy.
Fóram na nEagras Gaeilge and other Irish language groups expressed their disappointment at the lack of public consultation prior to this point and organisations disagreed with the new funding model criticising its competitive structure which would pit organisations against one each other for funding. They also highlighted a lack of understanding of the voluntary sector, the work of the volunteer and the lack of consideration for the principles of language planning.
The model was later subject to public scrutiny in another consultation period early in 2012 and was the subject of a review by an Oireachtas committee.
The Committee recommended that restructuring should take place but that provision had to be made for core-funding as well as partnership and co-operation between organisations. The report also acknowledged that the ‘new funding model’ would increase the control of Foras na Gaeilge over the resources of the organisations while reducing their independence.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Parental Survey on Cross Border Education
December 11, 2012
Education in the Border Area – Attitudinal Survey
The North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) brings together Ministers from the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government. Its aim is to develop consultation, cooperation and action within the island of Ireland on matters of mutual interest such as education. Ministers recognise the importance of facilitating parental preference in participation in schools. The change in population on both sides of the border and how this might impact on schools has been noted.
To take forward greater parental preference in schools in the border region, the Council decided to conduct a joint survey to inform cross-border pupil movement and school planning. The purpose of the survey is to provide the best possible indication of how much interest there would be in cross-border primary and post-primary schooling, assuming no restrictions.
This survey is being undertaken in respect of specific students as follows:
families with Junior Infants and/or 6th Class children attending any of the primary schools within 6 miles of the border; and
families with 1st Year children attending any of the post-primary schools within 12 miles of the border.
Our colleagues in the Department of Education Northern Ireland are conducting a similar survey.
We would be grateful if you would fill out the online survey.
The surveys should be submitted by January 18th 2013.
All information collected in the survey will be treated as strictly confidential. Individualized data will not be made available to third parties. Aggregate data will be used only for statistical purposes and to inform policy. Security standards will be implemented to prevent unauthorised access, and it will be subject to the Data Protection Act.
A paper version (in both English and Irish) of the survey is available for anyone who wishes. Please contact Forward Planning section of the Department of Education and Skills at (057) 932 4447 and we will arrange to have one sent out to you.
EDUCATION.IE
Work on gaelscoil to begin next year
December 11, 2012
The controversial building of a new school on playing fields on Cork’s northside is to go ahead as part of next year’s €370m schools capital programme.
Gaelscoil an Ghoirt Álainn is one of 50 new buildings or extensions which Education Minister Ruairi Quinn announced will go to construction in 2013. Most have already been flagged to go ahead next year as part of a five-year school building programme announced in March.
But the location of the school on part of the 11-acre Tank Field in Mayfield was the subject of potential obstacles at the time, after An Bord Pleanála had overturned an earlier refusal of permission in a vote of Cork City Council members.
Some local residents took a court challenge in September against what they said would be the loss of a right of way through the playing fields because of the project, and subsequent arrangements between the council and the local GAA club which uses the field.
However, Cork Circuit Court rejected their case in October and Mr Quinn has confirmed work on the 16-classroom school should begin next year.
The news brought joy to pupils, parents, and staff of the school, which has operated from prefabs on the grounds of Brian Dillons GAA Club next to the Tank Field for most of its life.
“Gaelscoil an Ghoirt Álainn has been in operation for almost 20 years now and finally we can begin to imagine life in a proper school building with proper facilities for our children,” said principal Deaglán Ó Deargáin and board chair Colm Henry.
“We look forward to progressing with the development of a new school suitable for the education of our children and one which will benefit the whole community.”
Six projects have been brought forward to begin work next year, including an extension to Newpark Comprehensive in Blackrock, Co Dublin, on which construction was not scheduled to begin until at least 2015 according to last March’s list.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education said some projects may have progressed if they got through planning faster than anticipated, or if projected student numbers in an area have increased significantly.
The projects include schools being established in the next few years to cater for rising urban populations. Mr Quinn said almost 21,000 of the 25,000 student places to be provided are in extensions or new schools, with the remainder replacing temporary or unsuitable accommodation.
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation said meeting the needs of a rising young population is welcome, but the Government had failed in its responsibility to ensure existing schools are maintained by the withdrawal of grants for minor works.
General secretary Sheila Nunan said the department should ringfence 7.5% of all future capital funding for maintenance of existing school buildings.
Another 53 major school projects were occupied or completed this year and the larger projects listed yesterday will account for €240m of the €370m capital investment in schools.
www.irishexaminer.com
Survey to focus on demand for schooling across the border
December 11, 2012
Thousands of families in border counties will be surveyed before Christmas on demand for the option of sending their children to school in Northern Ireland.
About 12,000 families in the North were asked to complete a similar survey recently, and the Department of Education will issue its questionnaire here in the coming days.
It is understood that more than 500 children cross the border to go to school every day, most of them travelling north from the Republic.
The survey of demand for more cross-border schooling opportunities was ordered by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn and his northern counterpart, John O’Dowd, in February, as reported at the time by the Irish Examiner.
The North’s department of education sent details to 12,000 homes within 12 miles (19km) of the border in late October. Mr Quinn’s officials have drawn up their own online version, with the families of about 9,000 pupils being notified through their schools.
Parents of children in junior infants and sixth class (or their equivalents) at primary schools six miles either side of the border, and those in first year of secondary schools within 12 miles of the border, are being surveyed.
Among the issues asked about are levels of awareness of the options for cross-border schooling, and the reasons why parents would or would not be interested in having their children educated in the other country.
Families can cite a range of issues they might see as obstacles to doing so, such as lack of places or transport, the different curriculum, costs of books and materials, separating children from friends, or inconvenience for work or child-minding arrangements.
The aim is also to establish parental preferences for school types, under headings such as religious ethos, gender mix, and language of instruction.
The results will inform future joint policy by both governments to facilitate further supports, mainly on issues like planning for school buildings based on projected enrolment growth that might arise from more cross-border education, and transport.
The outcomes are due to be discussed by Mr Quinn and Mr O’Dowd at the North-South Ministerial Council meeting in late Feb 2013. The North’s department of education is analysing responses to its survey, and said it would not release further details before the ministers are briefed.
“The Department of Education and Skills in the south has yet to complete its element of the survey.
“A full report on the information gathered by the whole survey is to be submitted to the North- South Ministerial Council early next year,” said a spokesman.
www.irishexaminer.com
Féile Leabhar na Nollag
December 11, 2012
Minister Quinn announces 50 major school building projects as part of €2bn five year plan
December 10, 2012
Projects to provide over 25,000 permanent school places and 4,000 jobs
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn, T.D., has today announced the 50 school projects which are scheduled for construction in 2013.
A €2 billion five-year capital investment programme, launched by Minister Quinn last March, gave details of 275 new major school building projects to begin over the period 2012-2016.
The projects being announced today are part of the five year plan.
Some €370 million will be spent on primary and post-primary infrastructure next year, with a projected expenditure on large scale projects of more than €240 million.
The major projects scheduled to proceed to construction in 2013 comprise:
22 new schools at primary level
12 extensions at primary level
13 new schools at second-level
3 extensions at second-level
Together with ongoing projects from 2012, this means that a total of 113 major school projects will be on site next year.
In addition, the Minister confirmed that a total of 53 major school projects have now reached substantial completion in 2012.
The 2013 construction plan will deliver over 25,000 permanent school places. Of these, almost 21,000 will be additional places and the remainder will replace temporary or unsatisfactory accommodation.
Announcing details of the building programme Minister Quinn said, “These major school projects are great news for communities the length and breadth of the country.
“Alongside the 25,000 permanent school places that are being built, this significant investment will lead to the creation of some 3,400 direct jobs and 680 indirect jobs. This is a welcome boost not only to the construction industry but to the communities where building will take place.”
Minister Quinn continued, “We are facing massive increases in our school going population in the coming years. Total enrolment in both primary and post-primary schools is expected to grow by over 70,000 between now and 2017 – over 45,000 at primary level and 25,000 at post primary – and will continue to grow up to at least 2024 at second level.”
“We have to ensure that every child growing up in Ireland can access a place in a classroom when they go to school.
“Today’s announcement is part of the Government’s plan to provide more than 100,000 permanent school places over the course of the five year plan.”
As 2013 progresses, projects scheduled to begin building in 2014/15 will be assessed to see if they are ready to go to construction earlier than planned, and if there is financial scope to do so.
Details of the progress of all major projects listed in the Five Year Plan will continue to be maintained and updated on the Department’s website, www.education.ie
Gaeloideachas
December 10, 2012
‘Education is not a burden, but ignorance is a huge burden.’
But what is education? It is a process through which a child learns to live happily, getting physical, cultural and spiritual benefit from what he finds around him.
At this time of year, parents are thinking about the kind of education they would like their children to have. The educational system should prepare a child for a world that is smaller, for a world that is international, for a world in which people travel much more. Skills are required now that were not so important a few years ago.
Everyone agrees that languages are very important nowadays. In this regard, children in Derry and Inis Eoghain have the opportunity of getting a good start in their education and achieve fluency in two languages within a few years.
There are three all-Irish schools in Derry, which also have nurseries: Bunscoil Cholmcille, Gaelscoil Éadain Mhóir and Gaelscoil na Daróige. You have Gaelscoil cois Feabhail in Moville; there is a Gaelscoil in Buncrana and there is Gaelscoil Adhamhnáin in Letterkenny. There are Gaelscoileanna in Limavady and Dungiven, and other Irish medium schools in Strabane, Omagh, Magherafelt, and Maghera. And there is an Irish nursery in Carndonagh.
Two languages give a child confidence, they open his/her mind, and he/she enjoys what is achieved. You can start another language in secondary school, but often that is too late. A child can be taught a small amount of another language in primary school through the mother tongue. But if children learn a second language through ‘immersion education’, they become fluent early and naturally. They go from one language to another without thinking. They get interested in other languages.
Education through Irish has made great progress in recent years: it is now available in every county in Ireland. There are around 50 secondary schools and around 200 primary schools outside the Gaeltacht where children are taught through Irish. Local parents should think seriously about an educational system which is experiencing enormous growth throughout the country.
If you are interested in education through Irish, make an appointment with your local Gaelscoil where the staff will be more than happy to answer any questions.
www.derryjournal.com
