Ag imirt Ultimate
May 1, 2013
M.Oid. san Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge
May 1, 2013
NCCA seeks feedback on Leaving Cert Oral Exam
April 30, 2013
The National Council on Curriculum and Assessment has published a survey on the higher and ordinary level Leaving Cert oral exam.
The survey is aimed at Leaving Cert students who have recently completed the exam and asks them to share opinions in Irish or in English about their personal experience.
The Leaving Cert oral exam has seen significant changes recently with 40% of the overall marks being designated to the spoken language.
The NCCA would like to gather feedback from students in order to look at the best ways to learn Irish in secondary school.
The survey, which only takes 10 minutes, can be found by clicking the following link https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/P2DRFYM.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
New Council announced for Raidió na Gaeltachta
April 29, 2013
It was announced today that a new council has been selected for RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta which will be chaired by Lorcán Uí Chinnéide.
The council, which will function for a three year period, will advise the Bord of RTÉ on Raidió na Gaeltachta’s broadcasting policy. The first meeting will take place in May.
The Council is made up of the following members:
Antaine Ó Donnaile from Armagh, former manager and television producer with BBC Northern Ireland.
Dónal Ó Gallchóir, a Donegal Gaeltacht native, former garda in Mayo.
Adrian Breathnach, primary school principal and Director of Gael Taca in Cork.
Máire Seosaimhín Breathnach from An Rinn, Co. Waterford, Irish language officer with Waterford County Council.
Alan Mac Maoldúin, Communications Manager with Cumann Lúthchleas Gael and former member of the council.
Máire Nic Gairbhe, Principal of Gaelscoil Adhamhnáin in Letterkenny, Donegal.
Peadar Mac an Iomaire, Former-Chief Executive of Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge and community worker in Connemara.
Sibéal Davitt, dancer and filmmaker from Dublin.
Siobhán Seoighe from Ráth Cairn, executive with An Foras Patrúnachta.
Chairman of the council, Lorcán Ó Cinnéide, is originally from Corca Dhuibhne, Co Kerry and is a former Chief Executive of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation. He has already served a period of time as a member of the council.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Spriocdhátaí Chomórtais Bhliain na Gaeilge ag druidim
April 25, 2013
Picnic Mhór an tSamhraidh – Comhluadar
April 25, 2013
Traenáil “Tús Áite do Leanaí”
April 25, 2013
Principals’ group calls for CAO system for primary schools
April 24, 2013
A Central Applications Office-style process for primary school places could be used to regulate enrolment practice, the professional body for primary school leaders has said.
In a submission to the Department of Education the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) called for a “clearly defined, legally robust national enrolment policy, with a standardised basis for admission to all schools”.
The call comes as Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn prepares to publish draft legisl at i on aimed at regulating school enrolment policies.
Rank schools
The group has called for a web-based system that would allow parents to rank schools in order of preference in a method similar to the CAO application process for college, with clusters of schools defining their catchment areas and co-operating on shared enrolment practice.
The body has called for one annual date for applications by parents and another for a response from schools.
Seán Cottrell of the IPPN said some schools give preference to children based on historical family links, academic or sporting achievements, how early they joined the queue, or whether their parents could afford the advance deposit.
Waiting lists
He said that any new system should prohibit multi-annual waiting lists, booking deposits and aptitude screenings.
“Schools are funded based on the number of children enrolled. IPPN believes that extra weighted capitation values should be applied to Traveller children, new Irish children, children from designated disadvantaged areas, and children with special education needs under the new national enrolment policy.”
Eileen Flynn of the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association has rejected the proposal, saying there was a risk of the system becoming “overly-bureaucratic”.
“It is important that the system does not become overly-bureaucratic in trying to resolve an issue for a relatively small number of schools.”
www.irishtimes.com
Foilsithe ar 24 Aibreán 2013
The Irish Times – Louise Holden
Deiseanna Fostaíochta san AE
April 24, 2013
BEIDH cúrsaí fostaíochta san Aontas Eorpach á bplé ag painéal d’ard aoichainteoirí i mBaile Átha Cliath ar an Aoine, 26 Aibreán.
I measc na gcainteoirí ar an lá, beidh Lucinda Creighton TD; Colmcille Ó Monacháin, Ceann Aonad na Gaeilge, An Coimisiún Eorpach; Seán Hade, Ceann Aonad na Gaeilge; Séamus Howard, Dlí-theangeolaí le Comhairle an Aontais Eorpaigh agus Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh BL, Comhordaitheoir Dlí agus Gaeilge.
Cuirfear tús leis an seimineár ag 4.00pm sa léachtlann thuas staighre in Óstaí an Rí, Sráid Henrietta, agus leanfaidh an plé ar dheiseanna fostaíochta go dtí 6.00pm.
www.foinse.ie
Foilsithe ar 24 Aibreán 2013
Foinse – Nuacht an hEarnála le Gaelport.com
Children could face CAO-style admission to schools
April 24, 2013
Primary principals want radical shake-up of entry procedures
PARENTS of up to 120,000 children a year would have to fill out CAO-style forms to secure primary and secondlevel school places under a plan put forward by principals.
In a dramatic shake-up proposed for the schools admission system, parents would rank their school choices in a centralised application system – similar to the one used for college entry.
Primary principals want the CAOstyle scheme at both primary and second-level, with parents listing schools in a particular catchment area in order of preference.
Under the proposal, where a particular school could not cope with the demand, places would be allocated on the basis of a lottery.
The scheme, proposed by the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN), would be operated by a centralised agency. The IPPN’s proposal is a response to moves by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn to bring in a law to shake up school enrolment rules.
About 80pc of schools can accommodate all applicants but the rest apply selective admissions policies, which are now being targeted by the minister.
Mr Quinn plans to ban or restrict certain practices, such as giving preference to children based on the fact their mother, father, or another relative was a past pupil.
Mr Quinn wants to end the days of some schools “cherry-picking” pupils on the basis of brains or breeding, while others take more than their fair share of children with special educational needs.
The IPPN supports Mr Quinn’s plan and, as an additional measure, suggested the CAO-style common enrolment application form, with clusters of schools in defined catchment areas co-operating on shared enrolment practices. IPPN director Sean Cottrell said the school enrolment policy system, mainly at second level, was uneven.
He said a fairer and more transparent enrolment process would relieve stress on many parents.
Mr Cottrell said the system they were proposing would be web- based, with one annual date for applications by parents and another for a response from schools.
“Then, parents could get their first, second or third choice, depending on supply and demand factors,” he said.
Reflecting
The primary principals’ organisation is now seeking a meeting with the Department of Education to discuss its plan.
The department did not comment on the IPPN proposal, but said Mr Quinn would be reflecting carefully on the views expressed in the consultation process that will follow the publication of his draft legislation.
The IPPN proposal drew a mixed reaction elsewhere in education circles. Ferdia Kelly of the Joint Managerial Body (JMB) representing secondary schools, traditionally run by the religious, said such a system could be too complicated.
He pointed out that only 20pc of schools were oversubscribed. Mr Kelly said that what they favoured was a common enrolment timeline, where all schools in an area shared the same enrolment date, which would put the onus on parents to make a firm commitment.
However, Michael Moriarty, general secretary of the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA), which has schools both in the second-level and primary sector, said he supported a system based on schools working together in clusters, with parents listing their preferences.
Other changes planned by the minister include a ban on first-come, first served admissions policies because they discriminate against people who have recently moved to an area.
He also proposes to ban “booking deposits” and to put restrictions on a requirement for children and their parents to attend compulsory open days or be interviewed.
www.independent.ie
Foilsithe ar 24 Aibreán 2013
Irish Independent – Katherine Donnelly
