Girls continue to outperform boys in Junior Cert
September 13, 2013
The results repeat traditional trends and confirm the different educational experiences of male and female students.
In post-primary education, girls are more inclined to study at higher level in key subjects and are also more likely to get top grades.
Females accounted for 49pc of the 59,823 Junior Cert candidates this year, according to a gender breakdown by the State Examinations Commission (SEC).
However, they made up 58pc of those taking higher level Irish, 53pc of those taking higher level English, 50pc of those taking higher level maths and more than 50pc of higher level candidates in French, German Spanish, Italian, arts/craft/ design, business studies, music, home economics and religious education.
Childhood
The gender gap is also evident in the results achieved, with girls more likely to notch up ‘ honours’ A, B or C grades.
Girls picked up more As in all higher level papers except maths, Latin and metalwork.
Across the spectrum of the ‘ honours’ ABC grades, the girls went on to overtake the boys in maths and it was only in Latin and metalwork that the boys did better.
The roots of the differences between the sexes in academic engagement goes back to much earlier in their childhood, as illustrated in a recent report based on data gathered in the Growing Up in Ireland study.
The study findings, analysed by Denise Frawley, Selina McCoy and Maeve Thornton of the Economic and Social Research Institute ( ESRI) showed how nine-year-old girls and boys felt differently about school.
They found that girls had slightly higher reading test scores than boys, but boys scored higher in maths, especially at the top end.
This year, 13pc of boys scored an A in higher level maths, compared with 11pc of girls.
Boys are significantly less likely than girls to look forward to school, to like school and to like their teacher, the study also showed.
Boys have higher levels of school absenteeism and are less likely than girls to complete their homework on a regular basis. However, while they reported that gender was a significant predictor of school engagement, they said other factors, such as social background, were crucial in order to distinguish which types of boys and girls were most likely to be disengaged from school.
Kathleen Lynch, Professor of Equality Studies at University College Dublin (UCD), said the real issue in educational inequality was social class, not gender. She said that she had been pressing the Department of Education for years for data relating to matters such as social background and school attendance.
www.independent.ie
Girls take study honours for 3 core Junior Cert subjects
September 13, 2013
Girls are still far more likely than boys to study the three core school subjects to higher level for Junior Certificate.
Figures released by the State Examinations Commission also reveal that girls do better in most of the 26 subjects, with more getting As and honours grades A, B or C) in the vast majority.
Significant improvements in uptake of Irish and maths to higher level were evident again in this week’s results, largely attributed to curricular and other reforms.
But far more female students still chose the tougher exam than boys, with one of the biggest variations being at Junior Cert Irish.
In a school with 50 girls and 50 boys who sat the exams in June, for example, 30 girls but only 22 or 23 boys would have done honours Irish.
Boys still trail girls in doing higher level maths, although half of the 30,155 male students doing the subject sat the higher level in June — just below the 53% of females. Almost equal proportions (41% of girls and 42% of boys) did ordinary level maths, and slightly more boys (7.5%) than girls (6%) sat foundation level papers.
In English, almost 79% of girls but only 68% of boys sitting the higher level papers this year. This meant double the proportions of boys compared to girls taking English at ordinary (29% compared to 14%) and foundation levels (3% as against 1.5%).
The trends continue among other popular languages, with four girls doing higher level French for each one sitting ordinary level, compared to a 3:1 ratio among male students.
For Junior Cert German, studied by just over 10,000, the numbers are very similar, although very slightly more balanced, with 79% of girls and 71% of boys doing higher level.
Of 22 subjects in which figures are provided for higher level, maths, Latin and metalwork were the only ones in which more boys got As, while more boys than girls got honours in just Latin and metalwork.
www.irishexaminer.com
Cúnamh don bhéal triail
September 12, 2013
New education body stalled: Pledge for single authority by end of year won’t be met
September 12, 2013
A single education body will not meet a Programme for Government commitment to be up and running by the end of the year, the chairman of the Education Committee has warned.
The troubled Education and Skills Authority (ESA) – which had run up a bill of more than £12m by the start of this year – remains stalled by political deadlock.
Talks between Sinn Fein and DUP continue over the shape of the super education authority, which will replace Northern Ireland’s current five education and library boards, as well as the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS).
At a meeting of the Assembly’s Education Committee yesterday, John McGrath, the Department of Education’s Deputy Secretary, pointed to “slippage” in the ESA timescale.
“Clearly there will be slippage in the 2013 timescale for ESA,” he told the Committee.
The committee’s chairman, North Antrim DUP MLA Mervyn Storey, has said that the proposed body will fall far short of its December 31 target for implementation, set out in the Programme for Government.
The PfG set out a commitment to “make the Education and Skills Authority operational in 2013”.
However, political agreement on the role and powers of the single educational authority appears to be some way off.
The DUP is currently considering a paper from Sinn Fein, which sets out the party’s position on a number of issues which are still stumbling blocks to ESA’s establishment.
The issues still causing political division include:
•Independence of the inspectorate, which inspects standards in schools.
•Who controls the controlled sector, which consists of Northern Ireland’s state schools.
•Issues over Irish medium schools.
•Issues over shared education.
“That’s only some of the issues,” Mr Storey told the Belfast Telegraph yesterday.
“No, ESA will not be up and running by December. ESA will only happen whenever it’s right – whenever there’s an ESA that’s workable and then, and only then, will it come into existence.”
He added: “There’s still issues in relation to the controlled sector and we are still working through the paper sent to us by Sinn Fein over the summer.
“It will take a long period of time to get through that paper and there will be no knee-jerk reaction.”
No one from the Department of Education was available for comment last night.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Teacher concern at abolition of Junior Cert
September 12, 2013
‘We believe every student is entitled to a fair, impartial and transparent State cert’
Junior Cert exam to be replaced by school assessments on phased basis
The president of Ireland’s main second-level teachers’ union says she was “deeply concerned” about the decision by the Minister for Education to abolish the Junior Cert.
In a message of congratulations to Junior Cert students, ASTI president Sally Maguire criticised plans by Ruairí Quinn which mean that from 2014 students will no longer sit the exam.
“Under the Minister’s proposals young people wh o spend five or six years participating in second-level education will not experience State certificate examinations until they reach Leaving Certificate,” Ms Maguire said.
She said the Junior Cert exam was invaluable Leaving Cert preparation and enabled students, parents and teachers to gauge aptitude prior to maki n g choices about the Leaving Cert.
Ms Maguire also expressed concerns about the legitimacy of the school-administered exams, graded by students’ own teachers, set to replace the State exam.
“We believe that every student is entitled to a fair, impartial and transparent State certificate to record their achievement at junior cycle. A school certificate based on grades awarded by students ’ own teachers does not have t he same status or validity as an independent State certificate.”
This year’s Junior Cert results will be one of the last under the current model, in place since 1991.
The reforms announced by Minister Quinn in October 2012 will be introduced on a phased basis from 2014.
The new English curriculum will be the first to be introduced to first years in 2014, followed by Irish, science and business studies for first years in 2015.
Under the reforms, the Junior Cert exam will be replaced by school-based assessment, with an emphasis on the quality of the students’ learning experience. Ms Maguire urged students celebrating their results to act responsibly. Higher level maths The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union said it was happy with the steady rise in the number of Junior Cert students taking higher level maths. It appealed to students “to be responsible and mindful to others in their celebrations”.
Minister of St at e f or Research Sean Sherlock said the increasing number of students taking higher level maths was welcome. More students also taking science at higher level was “an important step to building Ireland’s knowledge economy”.
www.irishtimes.com
Bliain nua sa Naíonra i gCeatharlach
September 11, 2013
Ciorcail Chomhrá do mhicléinn i gCeatharlach
September 11, 2013
End of an era for Foinse as publication ceases
September 11, 2013
Móinear Teo. have announced Foinse will not be available in shops across the country later this month, as was initially intended.
Foinse was established in 1996, and a weekly Irish language newspaper was available nationally until summer 2009, subsidised with funding from Foras na Gaeilge. When the funding from Foras na Gaeilge came to an end, Foinse was relaunched in autumn of 2009, with a new look and a new distribution system.
Until recently, Foinse was available as a supplement with the Irish Independent each Wednesday, and was very popular, especially with school students across the country and with Irish language learners.
In addition to the printed weekly newspaper, Móinéar Teo. also launched many online services over the past number of years including the information website www.foinse.ie and a grammar blog. Foinse added greatly to the content being shared through social media online, on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
While a printed edition of the newspaper will no longer be available, educational material like Foinse Óg and Foinse sa Rang will still be available online at www.foinse.ie.
At the beginning of the year, Foras na Gaeilge announced a decision to cut all funding for the weekly Irish language newspaper ‘Gaelscéal’ before the contract was due to end officially.
A low sales rate was the main reason given by Foras na Gaeilge for this action, with an average amount of 1,300/1,400 hard copies sold in shops weekly.
In a statement last February, CEO of Foras na Gaeilge stated: “There are difficulties with sales and distribution of newspapers worldwide. The Board and the Committee will now be looking at these questions as we move towards founding a new news service for the Irish Language community.”
The latest development means there is no longer any Irish language newspaper available for the Irish speaking community. Foras na Gaeilge held public consultation meetings last spring, as well as a series of focus groups to discuss what form the publication which would replace Gaelscéal would take. No results of this research have been issued as yet.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Smarmore summer camp a great success
September 10, 2013
Now in its second year, Gael Champa took place at Smarmore Castle just a few miles from Ardee in the middle of August.
“We had 24 children from the ages of 5- 13 who attended and participated in the Irish language summer camp,” said Clodagh McClean, who has BSA in Irish. Clodagh and Kenny Rabbitt supervised and co-ordinated the camp, assisted by Éadaoin McClean, Aelish Lambert, Andrea Meade and Claire McGrory. “The idea behind this summer camp was to encourage children to welcome and enjoy the Irish language as a fun and funtional means of communication. As the week progressed, the children were speaking more and more Irish and their confidence grew as they practiced and experienced Irish as a practical language. “The week consisted of many activities for the children. From table quizes to treasure hunts and relay races to ‘Capture the Flag’. “Fun through Irish was always the prime concern.
“Throughout the course of the week, the children were divided into four teams: Eireann, Na Buaiteoirí, Club Chorcra and Daoine Gan Stóp, and could earn points for their teams by succeeding in the activities, team spirit, good sportsmanship and through their use of the Irish Language. Despite the close competition thorughout the week. It was Club Chorcra that finished in first place of the leaderboard at the end of the week. “By the end of the week, each child went home with prizes for their excellent use of Gaeilge throughout the week,” said Clodagh. Clodagh McClean, would like to thank everyone who helped make this year’s camp a success, especially Smarmore Castle for their use of their grounds, to all of the people who helped out with the camp over the week and to all of the children who were an absolute pleasure to have for the week.
A special word of thanks goes out to all of the parents who encouraged their children throughout the camp to speak through Irish.Gael-Champa is a summer sports camp as Gaeilge, providing cultural, educational and sporting activities for children through the medium of Irish! Séan Óg Ó hAilpín launches Gael-Champa! The camp caters for children from English speaking schools as well as Gaelscoileanna. Activities include Gaelic football, hurling, rugby, volleyball, soccer, etc. If you would like more information about Gael Champa 2014, please contact Clodagh at clodagh.mcclean2@mail.dcu.ie
www.dundalkdemocrat.ie
Kildare Gaelscoil opens its doors
September 6, 2013
THE new Gaelscoil in Kildare town began the first chapter of its life when it opened its doors last week.
Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha Principal, Norma Ní Chonchúir, welcomed 13 junior infant pupils on Thursday August 29.
The school is to be temporarily based in the former vocational school building in Kildare town and is to move to a permanent building at a new educational campus at Magee Barracks.
In March 2012, the demand for Irish medium education in Kildare town was recognised by the Department of Education, and it was announced that a Gaelscoil under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta would be opened.
Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha is a multidenominational Gaelscoil. The new school will start out with Junior Infants only this year but it is expected that it will grow rapidly.
Norma Ní Chonchúir, principal of Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha is extremely proud of what the school community in Kildare town has achieved to date.
“The parents have given me great support,” said Ms Ní Chonchúir.
“They have decided on a lovely uniform and have designed the school crest. I am really looking forward to the year ahead.
“It is a great honour for me to be the principal of Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha.
“There is a great demand for education through Irish in the Kildare town area, and it is brilliant that this new school is opening to cater for that demand.”
Schools across the county reopened over the past week.
It was a big change for pupils of the former Scoil Bhride Naofa and De La Salle Manistreach schools in Kildare town, as the new amalgamated St. Brigid’s Primary school welcomed both boys and girls at the former convent school building.
www.leinsterleader.ie
