Seachtain na Gaeilge 2017 in Fingal
January 17, 2017
Are you organising an event for Seachtain na Gaeilge 2017 in Fingal?
If you do please remember to check out www.snag.ie for advice and to register your event.
Fingal County Council will be putting together its own programme for Seachtain na Gaeilge.
If you would like your event to be included in this please contact Coiste na Gaeilge, Fine Gall at eolas@fingal.ie or ring Bernie Kelly Irish Officer at 01-8905369, as soon as possible.
Irish Language Secondary Education Coming to Sligo in 2017
January 17, 2017
The founding committee of Coláiste Loch Gile, working since 2008, are delighted to announce that the secondary school, Mercy College, Sligo are to open an Irish Language Education Unit for boys and girls in September 2017.
New Era
This is a new era for Irish language education in the North West, and parents whose children attend Gaelscoileanna in Sligo, Liatroim, and South Dún na nGall will be delighted that their children may now continue their education though Irish to Leaving Cert. Pupils who did not attend a Gaelscoil will be very welcome to enrol and it is expected that the demand will be such that in the forthcoming years that an independent Gaelcholáiste will be established.
Praise
The founding committee take this opportunity to praise the efforts of The Mercy College Principal, Colette O’Hagan, the staff and their Board of Management. From the first meeting they revealed a respect, an understanding and dedication to the concept of an Irish Language Unit. After witnessing the amount of preliminary work, energy, dedication and ambition the Mercy college have for this ‘Aonad’ we believe that a very bright future awaits all students who seize the opportunity to attend Mercy College’s Aonad Gaeilge from next September, 2017.
Enrolment Evening
Wednesday January 25th 6-9.00pm in the Mercy College is the date for the Aonad and the Mercy’s own enrolment evening. Parents who have an interest in enrolling their children and those who have pre-enroled are asked to attend that evening.
To ensure an offer of a place for you may pre-enrol by going to www.colaistelochgile.net, click the Pre-enrol button, fill in the spaces and ‘Send’.
We’ll see you on January the 25th.
Minister Bruton sets out plans to reform the school admission system in relation to religion
January 16, 2017
Minister for Education Richard Bruton today (Monday) announced his intention to reform the school admissions system in relation to the role that religion can play in that process.
In a speech this morning at a seminar organised by Equate, a campaign group in this area, Minister Bruton stated that he believes that it is unfair that preference is given by publicly-funded religious schools to children of their own religion who might live some distance away, ahead of children of a different religion or of no religion who live close to the school. The Minister also stated his belief that it is unfair that parents, who might otherwise not do so, feel pressure to baptise their children in order to gain admission to the local school.
The Minister set out four possible approaches for dealing with the issue, in primary schools in the first instance, including:
· A catchment area approach, prohibiting religious schools from giving preference to children of their own religion who live outside the catchment area ahead of non-religious children who live inside the catchment
· A ‘nearest school rule’, allowing religious schools to give preference to a religious child only where it is that child’s nearest school of that particular religion
· A quota system, which would allow a religious school give preference to children of its own religion in respect of only a certain proportion of places, meaning that the remaining places would be allocated based on other admissions criteria – proximity to the school, lottery etc.
· An outright prohibition on religious schools using religion as a factor in admissions, meaning that all places would be allocated based on other factors. Within this approach, there is capacity to allow religious schools to require parents or students to indicate some support or respect for the ethos of the school.
The Minister also set out the need to avoid possible pitfalls and unintended consequences with each of these approaches, including most importantly possible impacts on minority religions and on the wishes of Protestant, Jewish, Islamic and other communities to be able to run schools in accordance with their ethos and admit children from their communities to attend those schools. Other possible consequences to be avoided include possible breaches of the constitution, technical and administrative difficulties impacting on the capacity to effectively run the system of over 4000 schools and the possibility of creating ‘postcode lotteries’, such as other countries have experienced, resulting in pronounced divergence in quality of schools in more advantaged compared to less advantaged areas.
Minister Bruton also announced that he will be commencing a short, 10-12-week process of consultation, and will be interested in hearing the views of the groups who stand to be impacted by changes as well as any members of the public with views on the issue.
The Minister also reiterated his position that these issues should be dealt with on a separate track to the Admissions Bill, shortly to progress to Committee Stage. This view was passed by a large majority of the Dáil in a motion last June. The Admissions Bill includes a series of practical common-sense reforms to the process of admissions to schools, commands broad support across the Dáil, and is on target to be enacted ahead in the coming months. The issues involved here are complex and potentially controversial, and by linking them in with the Admissions Bill the danger is that that Bill gets substantially delayed as these issues are worked out.
The Minister said:
“My basic aim as education Minister is to achieve in Ireland the best education service in Europe within the next decade. There are many aspects to this – the best at supporting children with special needs or disadvantages, the best at educating the skilled workers needed to support a growing economy, but also the best at dealing with the complex issues around ethics, religion and integration of minorities that our rapidly-changing world is throwing up.
“The patronage and ethos of our schools is not something which this generation of politicians, public servants, school managers or teachers have created. It is something we have inherited, and reflects a very different era in Ireland, and change is needed to meet the needs of today’s families. 96% of our primary schools are under the patronage of Christian religious organisations. In particular, 90% are of Roman Catholic ethos. However, over a third of couples who are getting married are choosing to do so in a non-religious ceremony, and all the evidence points to a population in which very significantly fewer than 90% of young families are religious.
“Parents are recognised by our Constitution as the primary educators of their children. I believe that a desire on behalf of religious parents to educate their children in their faith is welcome and should be respected. This principle is reflected in the Programme for Government. Equally, however, I believe that non-religious parents or parents of minority religions should not be unfairly disadvantaged in seeking to admit their children to their local publicly-funded school.
“I believe it is unfair that, under the current system, a non-religious child can be refused entry to the local school, because preference is given to a religious child living some distance away. I believe it is unfair that, under the current system, some parents who might not otherwise do so feel pressure to baptise their children because they feel it gives them more chance of getting into their local school.
“I believe we must address these unfairnesses. However, no one should pretend that these issues are simple, or that there is an easy fix which solves everything and leaves no possible unintended consequences. In particular, as we develop reforms we must strive to avoid impacts on the rights of minority religions. We should live and let live, and aim for the greatest good for the greatest number.
“I urge all people and groups who have views on these issues and who have concerns about possible impacts to make their views known so that we can take them into account as we develop proposals in this highly complex and contested area”.
Bruton to announce school admission reform options
January 16, 2017
Possible options to reform school admissions to limit or remove the role that a child’s religion plays in the process will be announced today by the Minister for Education.
Richard Bruton will outline four options and announce a consultation process on the issue.
Highlights of his speech, to be delivered at a seminar later today, were sent to education journalists.
Mr Bruton says he believes it is unfair that publicly-funded religious schools can give preference to children of their own religion who might live some distance away, ahead of other children who live close by.
The Minister says while 96% of primary schools here are Christian – the vast majority Catholic – over a third of couples getting married here are choosing civil non-religious ceremonies.
The options include allowing schools to favour children of their own religion only when those children live within the school’s catchment area, or when that school is their nearest one.
A third option is the introduction of quotas, allowing preference on religious grounds for a limited proportion of places.
The fourth is an outright ban on using religion as a factor in admissions.
Under this last option, the Minister says, religious schools could require parents or students to indicate support for the school’s religious ethos.
Mr Bruton will say there is a most important need to avoid possible impacts on the wishes of minority religions – such as Protestants – to run schools in accordance with their ethos and admit children from their communities.
Other possible consequences, he says, are breaches of the constitution, or the creation of so-called ‘postcode lotteries’ where schools in less advantaged areas could suffer.
The Minister says he will be commencing a process of consultation, and is interested in hearing the views of groups who are affected, as well as members of the public.
Mr Bruton will say the desire of religious parents to educate their children in their faith is welcome and should be respected.
But he says that non-religious parents or parents of minority religions should not be unfairly disadvantaged.
The Minister says while this unfairness must be addressed, he believes that there is “no easy fix” to what he calls a “highly complex and contested area”.
He will deliver his speech later at a seminar organised by Equate, an organisation that is campaigning for equal access to publicly-funded schools for all children.
Atheist Ireland said three of the options “would just fine-tune the religious discrimination in access, and indeed would result in some Catholic families being discriminated against.”
Fianna Fáil education spokesperson Thomas Byrne has said the Minister was “floating ideas” and not “taking any real action”.
He added that the Oireachtas Education Committee is “in the middle of carrying out a consultation on this issue and has held hearings before Christmas and will have further hearings shortly. Then it is envisaged that we will legislate.”
http://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0116/845185-school-admissions-plan/
(Gaeilge) Folúntas: Oifigeach Tionscadail (Bunscoileanna) le Gaelbhratach
January 10, 2017
(Gaeilge) Folúntas: Múinteoir Tacaíochta Foghlama
January 9, 2017
(Gaeilge) 2 Leabhar Nua ag Cois Life
January 6, 2017
Which school?
January 6, 2017
That time again. This week parents will be putting in applications for places in different types of schools. It is a difficult decision. I have wide experience in schools both here in Ireland and in Scotland and I have to say that it would be difficult to find any better than the English medium schools here in Derry with regard to educational standards and the enthusiasm of the teachers. So I would not order a parent ‘Send your child to an Irish medium school.’ Parents should discuss the matter and come to a sensible decision. I know I am biased, but I would say that a Gaelscoil has advantages that other schools do not have. The website gaelscoileanna.ie points out some of these advantages, for example, according to research, bilingual children are more attentive, they are better at undertaking tasks, and they have more effective listening and communication skills.
Irish medium primary schools in Derry do very well despite one huge disadvantage: the three of them are accommodated in temporary buildings, although the parents are fighting hard to change that situation. Parents are very supportive of Irish nursery education in the city. Two out of the three nursery schools have taken in maximum numbers over the past few years.
The same can be said of post-primary education in Derry as has been said about primary education: first rate facilities and first rate teachers in every school. Parents must choose the school most suited to their child’s needs. Children who have been studying in an Irish medium school and who wish to continue learning through Irish are very fortunate. The Irish medium stream in Saint Brigid’s College is going from strength to strength. It is accommodated in a modern building in a progressive school under the direction of a highly experienced staff.
Incidentally, Irish medium education is also advancing in Inishowen. At present, Charlie Mc Connelogue TD is putting pressure on the Minister of Education to locate an Irish nursery school, primary school and secondary school on the one site in Buncrana.
Read more at: http://www.derryjournal.com/news/opinion/cen-scoil-1-7759857
(Gaeilge) Folúntas: Stiúrthóir Cúnta Naíonra in Éadan Doire, Co. Uíbh Fhailí
January 5, 2017
Montessori to bid for patronage of primary school
January 5, 2017
The race for control of a new primary school in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, due to open next September, is hotting up.
St Nicholas Montessori Society, which runs a teacher training college and a small private school in the south Dublin town, has announced that it plans to bid for patronage. “This is a new departure for us”, St Nicholas director Ian McKenna said. “We have a waiting list and we haven’t got the capacity to take them.”
He said the board of trustees saw it as an opportunity to establish a primary school, based on Montessori principles, within the State system. Mr McKenna said changes to the primary curriculum in recent years brought it closer to the Montessori model.
The St Nicholas school is based on the Montessori teaching philosophy and has 120 pupils from pre-school up to sixth class. Annual fees are €2,800 for three to four year olds and €3,475 for older pupils. The proposed new school will have 16 classrooms, with two classes for each year. The Education Department is planning for an intake of 27 for each of two junior infant streams next September.
Fees
If St Nicholas Montessori School was awarded patronage, it would have to stop charging school fees, but Mr McKenna said a benefit being within the State system would be that it would qualify for funding from the Education Department.
Dún Laoghaire is the location for one of three new primary schools opening in September 2017 for which Education Minister Richard Bruton invited potential patrons to apply. There is already keen competition for the school. Other patron bodies quick to announce their bids include Educate Together, Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board, for a community national school, and An Foras Pátrúnachta, which runs Irish-medium schools.
Parental preference is a key factor in the decision-making process and the Education Department has given patrons until January 6 to submit their applications. Patrons are now asking parents to sign up to them. The Education Department will announce the outcome of the process in February.
Mr McKenna said all the patron bodies did “fantastic work”, but St Nicholas wanted to offer parents another option. The St Nicholas school, which has been running for more than 35 years, describes itself as multi-denominational, with a Christian ethos.
