Cinneadh ar bith faoi mhaoiniú an Fhorais
December 19, 2012
Ní leanann Foras na Gaeilge na rialacha atá acu féin
December 19, 2012
Irish secondary refuses pupils places
December 17, 2012
A row between the board of the only all-Irish secondary school on Cork City’s northside and its trustees has left dozens of children upset at being refused enrolment for next year.
After taking in three first-year classes in three out of the last four years, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG at the North Monastery has now turned down around 50 of the 110 applicants for places in Sept 2013.
The school board had hoped to take in more than 80 students, but says the Edmund Rice Schools Trust, which owns the school, was behind the cut.
“The board of management intended, and still wishes, to have three classes but was directed by our trustees to take 58 students,” said board secretary Dónal Ó Buachalla.
“As principal, I’d be acutely concerned that there are parents and children who have legitimate expectation. Even at this late stage, I would hope there would be a satisfactory resolution, through ongoing discussion and dialogue between the trustees and the board.”
There are differences of opinion over whether the school has space to accommodate a third first-year class. It is understood that trustees want a phased increase in numbers ahead of any expansion of facilities. The Gaelcholáiste has 405 boys and girls on its roll.
ERST chief executive Gerry Bennett said the record should show that the board decided not to take in more children than it had capacity for, and the trustees agree with this decision.
“Any other course of action would be against the interests of the students already enrolled in the school,” said Mr Bennett. “If a development proposal for extended building provision is received from the school, the ERST will look at it carefully and with consideration for demand for education through Irish in the area.”
But Sinn Féin councillor Thomas Gould said parents who were given the impression there would be more than 80 places at Gaelcholáiste Mhuire feel the goalposts have been moved. Mr Gould is a board member of Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers, which he said had four of out of 11 applicants for the Gaelcholáiste turned down.
“We have parents speaking with their feet, choosing Gaelscoils in the northside, while the only second-level all-Irish school in the area is cutting places,” he said.
www.irishexaminer.com
Teachers hit with €1,500 Gaeltacht studies bill
December 17, 2012
Student teachers have warned they will not be able to complete their studies because budget cuts mean they have to spend up to €1,500 each on compulsory Gaeltacht trips.
The move was announced last year by the Department of Education. But this year’s first-year students have protested as the Gaeltacht trips and the associated costs loom.
Up to this year, primary teachers had to attend a three-week language course as part of their training. That requirement has been extended by the Teaching Council to two two-week stays during what will now be a four-year degree for most prospective teachers. However, previous funding of the course fees has been withdrawn by the department from this year.
Students say it will lead to costs of over €700 in fees and expenses for each of the two trips. Darren Wynne, president of the students’ union at Mary Immaculate College of Education in Limerick, said expecting student teachers to come up with more than €1,400 over two years is not possible in the current economic climate.
“The people who made these decisions are out of touch with reality, it is an issue of huge concern for students. It will make it financially impossible for some students to complete their course,” he said, after students at the college met with course providers.
“In the long term, this will dissuade students from socio–economically disadvantaged backgrounds from teacher education courses. “We are calling on the Teaching Council to review the placement requirement or the Government to restore funding for the placement,” he said.
The Teaching Council said it had been proposed to extend the Gaeltacht placement to up to nine weeks, but it was restricted to four weeks because of the withdrawal of State funding.
The council has told Education Minister Ruairi Quinn and Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Minister Jimmy Deenihan that the Department of Education should set up a targeted financial support programme to ensure student teachers can take part.
The department said the abolition of grants towards student teachers’ attendance at Gaeltacht courses brings teacher-training programmes more in line with other degrees in which students themselves must bear the costs of additional special requirements.
The cut affects those who began teacher training this year but the department paid over €860,000 to Irish colleges in respect of student primary teachers’ fees this year. A spokesperson said a field trip element of a fee grant may be payable under the student grant scheme, and a limited number of students who do not qualify for a grant may be eligible for a contribution towards Gaeltacht course fees.
“In circumstances of particular need, students may apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund which assists students in third-level institutions in exceptional financial need,” a spokesperson said.
www.irishexaminer.com
New build for school
December 17, 2012
A LIMERICK city primary school is to get a new multi-million euro building. Castletroy is to get a new 16classroom school, with construction starting next year.
Gaelscoil Chaladh an Treoigh in Monaleen is the only Limerick primary school to form part of the 2013 school build, announced by Minister Ruairi Quinn this week.
It has been operating out of pre-fabs for 11 years.
www.independent.ie
Teaching time at primary level
December 14, 2012
Ireland had a mixed result in the international rankings in reading, maths and science published this week.
The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS ) tested primary school pupils in the equivalent of fourth class in more than 60 countries. Ireland has performed creditably in reading – most Irish pupils are reading at a very high level. But the results in maths and especially in science are less encouraging.
More worryingly, Ireland is not ranked among the top-performing countries in any of the tests. As Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn noted, “pupils in a number of other countries are performing significantly above the performance of Irish students’’.
The results indicate that while the Irish education system at primary level is performing reasonably well, it is not quite the “world class’’ system portrayed by its leading advocates. A similar picture emerged when the Irish second level system was tested by the OECD in 2010. Overall, it’s clear that while the Irish education system has many positives – not least a committed and enthusiastic teaching profession – it is still not world-leading. There is no room for complacency.
The harsh truth is that a certain complacency about overall standards was allowed to settle on the education system over the past two decades. How else might one explain the Department of Education’s refusal to co-operate with the TIMSS rankings and other international surveys since the early 1990s? For years, the Department turned its face against rigorous assessment and analysis of our education system. Successive ministers preferred to roll out those cliches about our “world class’’ education system – despite the lack of supporting evidence.
To his credit, Mr Quinn has been sceptical of these claims made for Irish education. He has described the OECD report as a “wake up call”. It’s clear he sees this week’s report on primary education as a catalyst for change. Already, he has raised awkward questions about the relatively small proportion of time allocated to science and maths in primary schools.
Is it acceptable that only 4 per cent of curriculum time is allocated to science in a State with aspirations to develop a knowledge economy? Is the time devoted to religion ut of kilter – not just with contemporary Irish society – but with the needs of our education system?
Mr Quinn has asked the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment to examine the allocation of teaching time at primary level. Their response is awaited with great interest. Last year, Mr Quinn asked primary schools to increase the time devoted to reading and maths as part of the new strategy to boost literacy and numeracy. A re-allocation of teaching time is also required to address deficiencies in science.
www.irishtimes.com
Níl spás ar bith ar an liosta áthais do Ghaelscoil Bharra go dtí 2015
December 14, 2012
School patronage survey queried
December 14, 2012
Senior figure in Catholic education says few want patronage changes Some Catholic-run schools to be turned over to other patron bodies next year
Only a tiny percentage of parents in some areas favour changes to school patronage, according to a senior figure in Catholic education.
Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn has claimed the results of parental surveys in five pilot areas show a strong demand for change. After the publication of the survey results this week, the Department of Education hopes to begin the process of handing over Catholic-run schools to other patron bodies by September 2014.
However, Father Michael Drumm of t he Catholic Schools Partnership maintains only 25 per cent of relevant parents in the areas surveyed responded to the survey.
“I am not clear as to why the Department of Education cannot publish the exact statistic on the percentage of parents who participated. I think people should look at the real figures. Take Arklow – those who want change are parents of 80 children in a school population of 1,965. That is only 4 per cent .’’ Parents surveyed Parents in Arklow, Castlebar, Tramore, Trim and Whitehall in Dublin were surveyed on school patronage last month.
Parents in 39 other areas – also identified as those where the Catholic Church is overrepresented – will be surveyed next month.
Mr Quinn has said he would like to see 50 per cent of all schools divested from Catholic control. Yesterday, Father Drumm said the survey results did not provide a mandate for this kind of radical change.
“Those who expressed an opinion in favour of change amount in each of the five areas to less than 10 per cent of parents.’’ Consultation process “It must be noted that this is not a survey in the ordinary sense of the term as it is not based on a representative sample. Rather it is a consultation process with parents. What we learned is that close to 10 per cent of parents with children in Catholic schools would prefer another form of patronage. The partners should work together to reconfigure the system so that it responds to this level of demand for additional forms of patronage in a particular area.”
In other reaction, the Council for Education of the Irish Episcopal Conference said the survey results show “significant affirmation of Catholic schools. In looking to the future it is clear that a very large number of parents wish to have their children educated in Catholic schools.’’
In looking to the future, it says Catholic patrons will need to consult all stakeholders in Catholic schools as they seek to “reconfigure the system to take account of the minority of parents who desire a change in patronage.’’
Over the next six months, the Catholic Church will be asked to identify schools which could be divested in the five pilot areas.
www.irishtimes.com
Church to identify schools it can divest
December 13, 2012
Handing over of Catholic-run schools to other patrons could begin by 2014
Survey finds Educate Together preferred alternative patron in five pilot areas
INTO says any consultation during the coming months must include teachers
The process of handing over Catholic-run schools to other patron bodies could begin by September 2014.
In a landmark move, the Catholic Church will be asked to identify schools which could be divested in five areas where parents say in a public survey they want a wider choice of school patron.
The multidenominational group Educate Together is poised to take over the management of schools in these five areas after it emerged as the preferred alternative patron in the survey.
The surveys were conducted on a pilot basis in five areas: Arklow, Castlebar, Tramore, Trim and Whitehall in Dublin. Parents in 39 other areas – also identified as those where the Catholic Church is over-represented – will be surveyed next month.
Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn insists the survey results show strong parental demand for a greater choice of patron. However, the very low turnout in some areas – less than 40 per cent – will be seized on by critics as evidence that the public is not greatly exercised about changes to school patronage.
The department says there was “an encouraging level of interest from parents” in the online surveys. These were governed by a code of conduct which limited spending and publicity by all patrons. This may be a factor in explaining the relatively low turnout.
In Whitehall, for example, less than 1,000 of close to 2,500 parents of school-going children participated. Overall, 1,788 valid survey responses were received, representing 3,459 children in the five areas.
Mr Quinn will now ask the Catholic bishop in each of the five pilot areas “to consider the reconfiguration options open to him which would allow sufficient school accommodation to be made available to facilitate t his demand f or greater choice”.
The Minister is requesting each of the patrons to consult their local school communities. The department is requesting an interim response in three months and a final response in six months.
Last night the INTO said any consultation planned during the coming months must include the teaching staff.
Paul Rowe of Educate Together said the survey confirmed that parents would like a choice of school type, and that many had a preference for Educate Together schools.
Aodhán Ó Ríordáin of Labour said he was delighted to see the public demand for change. This survey was never an attempt to criticise local schools but an attempt by this Government to engage with parents at a local level.
What parents want
Of those parents seeking a wider choice of patron, Educate Together was the first preference of 56 per cent to 76 per cent of parents
An Forás Patrúnachta was first choice for between 6 per cent and 26 per cent of parents, and the VECs first choice for 10 per cent to 18 per cent
The number of parents who supported a wider choice of patron ranged from 37 per cent to 50 per cent
Those who did not want to see more choice ranged from 35 per cent to 44 per cent Based on surveys in five pilot areas: Arklow, Castlebar, Tramore, Trim and Whitehall
www.irishtimes.com
Bishops get 6 months to respond on patronage
December 13, 2012
Catholic bishops have been given six months to respond to the demand for alternative primary schools in five specific areas where the Department of Education conducted a survey among parents.
The deadline has been set by Ruairi Quinn, the education minister, after publishing a report on the five pilot surveys, while parents in a further 39 areas will be asked for their views on primary patronage.
The report contains the attitudes of parents of 2,544 primary pupils and 915 pre-school children, and recommends school buildings be freed up to allow an Educate Together school be set up in each of the five areas.
Although fewer than 25% of parents with children aged 12 or under responded in two areas, support for a wider choice of patronage ranged from 37% in Castlebar, Co Mayo, to just over half in Tramore, Co Waterford. The numbers who would send their children to a school run by an alternative patron was between one quarter and just over one-in-three, and 35% to 44% did not support a wider choice of patrons.
The five areas are among 44 identified as having little or no choice of primary school other than those under the patronage of local bishops.
Among parents who want greater choice, multi-denominational group Educate Together was significantly preferred in all five areas. There was strong support for all-Irish schools patron An Foras Pátrúnachta in Arklow (26%) and Tramore (21%), and one-in-five parents who wanted more choice in Tramore opted for the local vocational education committee.
Mr Quinn said while many parents were happy with the schools available in their area, there was a clear demand from others for more choice.
“I will now ask the main patron in each area, the Catholic bishop or archbishop, to consider the reconfiguration options open to him which would allow suffic-ient school accommodation to be made available to facilitate this choice,” he said.
Mr Quinn wants their interim responses, based on local school consultations, within three months and a final response in six months.
Fr Michael Drumm, chair of the Catholic Schools Partnership, which represents bishops and religious orders, said the responses show 5% to 10% of parents want alternative schools for their children. His interpretation is based on an assumption that those who did not respond do not want any change to current school choices.
“There’s clearly a huge interest in Catholic schooling but there is also a clear need to reconfigure the system for the minority of parents who want additional forms of patronage. Those who told us the level of demand was 50% were clearly wrong,” he said.
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