Léacht maidir le Pátrúnacht agus Iontaíobhaíocht sa chóras oideachais ar RnaG
March 28, 2012
Múinteoir Eolaíochta de dhíth i Loch Garman
March 28, 2012
Gaelscoil Chaladh an Treoigh – Seachtain na Gaeilge
March 27, 2012
Aighneacht ar Shamhail Mhaoinithe Fhorais na Gaeilge
March 27, 2012
Bainisteoir Nua Tionscadail Trasphobail Ceaptha ag Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta
March 27, 2012
Scléip 2012 Winners
March 26, 2012
Congratulations to everyone who took part in the final of the Scléip 2011 competition, we had a great day on March 24th in the Axis theatre in Ballymun. 15 schools took part in the final, and the day was a huge success. We had three judges for the show, Sinéad ní Uallacháin, Tomaí Ó Conghaile agus Jen ní Mhathúna, and they had a hard job choosing winners as the standard was so high on stage on the day. They praised all of the competitors for the progress they’d made since the regional heats, all of their practice paid off! After much discussion, they announced the results to the audience. We’d like to thank them for all their hard work, and to thank the teachers, parents and enthusiastic audience too, who gave the participants such encouragement. We wish the participants themselves all the best for the future; you’ve certianly got talent and we look forward to seeing you onstage again, whether it’s at Scléip 2013 or in the o2, who knows!
The winners in each category were:
Contemporary Music (groups):
Cór Cois Life, Coláiste Cois Life, Baile Átha Cliath (junior)
Na Comrádaithe, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG, Corcaigh (senior)
Contemporary Music (solo):
Sinéad Toomey, Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh (junior)
Kym Gartry, Coláiste de hÍde (senior)
Creative Dance (solo):
Saoirse ní Dhubhshláine, Coláiste de hÍde (junior)
Dearbhail Ní Mhurchú, Meánscoil Gharman (senior)
Creative Dance (groups):
Áine Pollock agus Sinéad Ní Buachalla, Coláiste de hÍde (junior)
Na Jaffa Cakes, Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach (senior)
Drama/mime (solo/groups):
Cé sa diabhail í Alice? Gaelcholáiste Chill Dara (junior)
Naomh Smirnoff, Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair (senior)
Variety (solo/groups):
Clíona Ní Ghallchoir, Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair (junior)
Grúpa Ceoil an Daingean, Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne (senior)
Judges’ Choice:
Scléipeoirí, Coláiste Chilliain
Grand Prix 2012:
Sinéad Toomey, Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh
Photos from the event can be seen in our gallery. If you have photos or recordings of the event, you’d be very welcome to send them to us: cspainneach@gaelscoileanna.ie.
Rural primary schools hit as 73 posts to go
March 26, 2012
UP TO 73 small primary schools will lose a teacher in September because of changes in teacher allocations.
The full list of schools threatened with the loss of a teacher is revealed by the Irish Independent today.
They will only avoid the loss if their pupil numbers have risen since the last count in September — a major challenge for many because of their location.
With the exception of one in Clondalkin, Dublin, all the schools are in rural areas, mainly in the west. Last year’s Budget change to teacher allocation has sparked a major protest campaign amid fears that ultimately schools will close — to the detriment of local communities.
The Department of Education has told the 73 schools that, based on the last official pupil count, they will lose a teacher next September.
In recent weeks, schools were advised of their September 2012 allocations based on their September 2011 figures.
But there is an appeals process and — in a bid to soften the blow — Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has said that if schools succeed in enrolling higher numbers than in September 2011 the new figure will be included in the calculations.
This has pushed schools into a major competitive drive for new enrolments.
The cuts will continue for three years, starting in September, and will put the schools under ongoing pressure to keep increasing numbers.
Under the department’s plan, a school which this year got a third teacher for 49 pupils or above will need 51 pupils in September to secure the third teacher and 56 in three years’ time.
It also means a school which this year has a fourth teacher for 81 pupils will need 83 next year and 86 in two years’ time to retain that number of staff.
The aim is to cut 250 teaching posts in all. However, the staff will be redeployed to fill vacancies elsewhere.
The cuts have sparked a huge outcry in rural Ireland.
Over the weekend, parents, teachers and community activists held a rally in Loughrea, Co Galway and handed a petition in to Junior Education Minister Ciaran Cannon.
Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) president Noreen Flynn told the protest that what was needed was a coherent, long-term and resourced strategy for sustainable schools into the future.
“Instead, what we have are budget proposals aimed at forcibly amalgamating some small schools by cutting teachers”, she said.
Ms Flynn said the department should wait for the outcomes of a value-for-money report it was undertaking.
There was a need to review the benefits of small schools in rural communities.
INTO says alternatives to school closure and amalgamations should be considered, such as examining the possibility of repopulating existing schools rather than constantly expanding larger schools in urban areas, often with unsuitable temporary accommodation.
Minority
The union said schools of minority denominations, island schools and Irish medium schools must be treated with particular sensitivity.
Separately, 16 disadvantaged rural primary schools are losing a teacher arising from the Budget decision to withdraw what are known as “legacy” posts. These were awarded under a programme which predated the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme in 2005.
IRISH INDEPENDENT
Seachtain na Gaeilge 2012 album available free of charge with Foinse
March 26, 2012
Foinse is delighted to announce that RÍ-RÁ LE HECTOR, the official Seachtain na Gaeilge 2012 album, will be available free of charge with Foinse and the Irish Independent this Wednesday (28thMarch). Some of the country’s top artists have recorded songs in Irish for this special album; BellX1, The Coronas, The Kanyu Tree, Delorentos, The Walls and The Riptide Movement, to mention but a few. Foinse columnist, Hector Ó hEochagáin recently launched the CD on his radio show, 2fm’s Breakfast with Hector.
“I promise you, that RÍ-RÁ LE HECTOR is one of the best albums you will hear this year,” he said. “Get it, play it agus have it beside your stereo for the year. Ireland is our country and Irish is our language. Be proud!” The CD will be available free of charge with copies of Foinse and the Irish Independent purchased in SuperValu and Centra stores around the country. For those who are interested in learning the words of the songs on the RÍ-RÁ LE HECTOR album, the lyrics will be posted on Foinse’s website, www.foinse.ie.
Foinse is free with the Irish Independent every Wednesday. For more information send an email to nuacht@foinse.ie or call 091 – 593775 .
D’éirigh Thar Barr le Comhdháil Chomhairle na Gaelscolaíochta 2012
March 26, 2012
Nolan arranges talks on need for much-needed Knocknacarra school
March 22, 2012
The Department of Education will hold a meeting with Galway city primary school principals regarding the need for a new primary school in the Knocknacarra area.
The meeting has been arranged by Labour Galway West TD Derek Nolan and a date will be set in the coming weeks.
The department has sanctioned funding for the provision of a new primary school on the west of the city citing the projected rise in the area’s population as the reason. The upcoming meeting will determine whether the data the department is using matches with what school principals are seeing on the ground.
“There is some concern that the school may not be necessary,” said Dep Nolan. “I hope the meeting will bring all the facts into the open and determine once and for all whether a new school is necessary.”
Dep Nolan said a number of schools around the city are in need of upgrading.
“With so many school building projects necessary in Galway,” he said, “it would make no sense to build a new school where existing schools are well placed to take on the extra numbers.”
Dep Nolan has also raised the exclusion of Gael Scoil Mhic Amhlaigh in Knocknacarra and Clifden Community School from the five-year school building programme with Education Minster Ruairi Quinn.
“I was very disappointed to see the exclusion of these projects,” he said. “I know these schools have been planning and preparing to start these projects for some time now and the works are badly needed.”
Dep Nolan has pledged to follow up with the minister and his officials to see what options are possible to advance the projects.
GALWAY ADVERTISER
