Sharp rise in numbers enrolling for primary school
Lúnasa 27, 2013
It is back to school for thousands of Irish children over the coming days, with many primary schools set to open on Thursday and secondary schools in the days that follow.
This year, however, there will be a subtle difference, not noticed perhaps by the tearful junior infants and their parents, but one that will affect them all in the coming years.
Ireland has turned a corner in 2013 and not one that has anything to do with property prices, bond yields or the International Monetary Fund.
From now on, and at least until 2019, the numbers of students accessing primary and secondary education will rise inexorably, putting new pressures on Department of Education and Skills budgets even as Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn considers how to make cuts worth a reported €100 million for 2014.
Early figures
The schools enrolment tsunami is already on the move with a rise in the numbers of pupils going into primary clearly visible y. Full statistics will be available next month from the department but early figures show that it expects 71,000 junior infant pupils to enrol this year.
This is a 15,000 increase on 10 years ago. And based on the numbers now departing sixth class, there will be about 60,000 new students going into post-primary for 2013.
Underlying trend
A single year’s numbers cannot indicate a trend, and in fact the numbers sitting the Leaving Cert exams were in gradual decline over the past few years.
This, however, belies the underlying trend in access to education which according to figures from the department will be strongly upwards. In July it published a document,
Projections of Full-Time Enrolment Primary and Second Level, 2013-2031.
The projections point to rising participation in education at least until 2019 with education at all levels seeing unprecedented increases in student numbers. The education system will be under severe stress unless capital spending can be found to build schools and provide educational facilities right through third level.
Enrolments
Primary enrolments are projected to rise by about 37,000 pupils by 2015, peaking at about 596,000 by 2019 before beginning to reduce, the document says.
Post-primary enrolments will rise by about 16,000 by 2015 but at this level the rise is expected to be sustained through 2026 hitting a peak at about 416,000 pupils before reducing.
While fertility and migration have an impact “the underlying demographic structure of the population is the main driver of changes in enrolment patterns”, the document said. Births increased annually from the beginning of the last decade and began to affect primary school enrolments from the mid-2000s onward.
This wave will be carried right through to third level, something that the Higher Education Authority has repeatedly warned about. Some 60 per cent of students leaving secondary school currently go on into higher education so if the size of graduating classes increases so too will the cohort entering universities and institutes. These will be hitting the system after years of reduced resources, something that has left higher education with a pared-down ability to deal with bigger numbers.
The department says the demographic changes are taken into account during the annual estimates process and funding is provided to match this in terms of teachers, schools and supports for higher education.
Budget cuts would seem to counter any capacity to deal with the extra student numbers, however.
www.irishtimes.com
Ná milltear an samhradh fada buí
Lúnasa 7, 2013
Luigh siar agus bain sult as deiseanna na laethanta saoire An tráth seo bliana i dtús mhí Lúnasa bíonn múinteoirí ag dul in éadóchas.
Na laethanta fada samhraidh a bhí ag síneadh rompu amach seachtainí breátha ó shin, tá siad anois imithe thar dhroim agus feiceann siad geataí na scoile ag bagairt. Ní mar sin do na tuismitheoirí, áfach. Seal beag gairid eile agus ní bheidh na gárlaigh, na gearrchaillí, na teallairí, na braimilleoga, na bioránaigh, na patacháiníní, na bligeaird, na giobstairí timpeall a gcos. Is é an crá croí bliantúil ná an samhradh a chur isteach gan an scian a bhaint amach as an dtarraiceán, ná an slabhra a dhaingniú ar an mbothán i mbun an ghairdín (agus iad istigh ann). Ba dhóigh leat gur tréimhse aoibhnis agus gealadhraim a bheadh sa tSamhradh, pé sa domhan de, murab ionann agus pé in Éirinn é i gcónaí. “Samhradh buí na nóiníní gréine,” mar a chan file amháin, “Sumer is icumen in/ Lhude sing cuccu!” mar adúirt té eile. Chuir Séamas Dall Mac Cuarta na focail ba mhilse i mbéal an tSamhraidh ina dhán ar Ceithre Ráithe na Bliana: “Beidh dealramh na gréine gach aon lá ar m’éadan/An lile ’s an samhaircín ’s an rós in mo ghruaidh”, agus más áibhéil an méid sin féin, sin é gnó an fhile go minic. Tá dán fada Oran an t-Samhraidh ag an bhfile iomráiteach Albanach Alasdair Mac Mhaighistir Alasdair, agus más tachtaithe le haidiachtaí é, tugann raidhse an tséasúir sin chugainn go solasmhar lán.
An t-aoibhneas céanna atá ar fhilí ár linne féin – “An Samhradh sona is a sheamhar glan-shoirbh” a thug Liam S. Gógan air; cuireann “meisce ghlan anama” ar Liam Ó Muirthile, agus ar chuma go gcuireann an rud is lú ríméad orainn: “Álainn iad líonta an damháin alla i mí Lúnasa” dar le Gunther Grass via Gabriel Rosenstock. Tá Gréagóir Ó Dúill “faoi dhraíocht ag siosarnach breac na nduilleoga, tógáil cheann na mbláth, cogaint mhilis féir” ina ghairdín féin. Meabhraíonn Art Ó Maolfabhail dúinn “Samhradh síorbháistí – planda agus páiste ag fiafraí/ cá bhfuil a ngrianrí”. Ní hiad na hiontais ná na maitheasaí sin is cás le tuismitheoirí, áfach. Is é is cás leo an t-am a chur isteach ionas nach mbeidh an uain ag luí go leadránach ar Shakoncé, ar Nathan, nó Kayla, nó Donathan, ná ar Jaslynn bhocht. Chuige sin caitear an samhradh le cúrsaí den uile chineál – cócaireacht, caoladóireacht, bádóireacht, dreapadóireacht, rinceadóireacht, cipidiríleadóireacht,..abair é agus tá a leithéid ann. Ídítear boinn na ngluaisteán leis na taiscí beag a iompar ó rang go rang, ó fhaiche go faiche. Ní chuige sin Samhradh na hóige in aon chor. Is chuige Samhradh na hóige chun leisce, chun leadaíochta, agus chun leithéise. Dá mhéid a d’fhoghlaimeofaí i scoil shamhraidh ar bith is seacht mó a d’fhoghlaimeofaí ar chúinne na sráide nó laistiar den choca féir. Is é cúinne na sráide ollscoil na hóige, go háirithe le linn laethanta fada an tSamhraidh.
Is ar chúinne sin na sráide a chéad chuireann duine aithne air féin. Is ann a nochtar rúndiamhracha an tsaoil, is ann a thrialltar a mhiotal. Is ann, leis, a chuirtear an t-am amú ar chabaireacht, ar gheabstaireacht, ar ghaoth, ar dheisbhéalaí, ar útamáil, ar an rud neamhcheadaithe, ach nach am amú aon phioc de. Is é seo an t-am is luachmhaire i saol an duine óig, mar den chéad uair tá sé nó sí lasmuigh den chóras, córas baile nó córas scoile. Is é an duine a shocraíonn a chlár ama féin, nach clár ama é. Is é a bhíonn sa lá díomhaointeas idir dhá dhoircheacht, gan de léarscáil aige ach pé áit a thabharfaidh siúl na gcos nó turas bus é. Tír aineoil is ea an ceantar sin tamall uait, agus seans go bhfuil naimhde ann le cloí, nó cairde le déanamh. Muran ann do dhragain níos mó, ní hionann sin is nach dteangmhófaí le bús deataigh luath nó mall. Sna laethanta fada sin is beag rud is mó foghlaim ná a bheith ag máinneáil timpeall, ag faoilleáil ar bhóithre. Is beag rud is fearr a scaoileann leis an tsamhlaíocht ná a bheith ag áilleagánacht thart go neamhthuairimeach. Is le linn aiste sin na leisce a thugann smaointe cuairt ort, is i gcaitheamh an ama sin a thuirlingíonn trí chriathar na haigne na tuiscintí a dhéanann díot an duine is tú. Teanntaítear an óige laistigh d’fhallaí na scoile formhór na bliana, agus cuirtear oideas ceathairchúinneach uirthi. Seans gur i seomra eile, gléas leictreonach ilmheáin mar chompánach, a chaitear sciar mór dá bhfuil fágtha den am. Sin é an fáth a bhfuil laethanta fada buí an tSamhraidh chomh luachmhar sin, laethanta aoibhne cúinne na sráide. Ná milltear iad le cúrsaí, agus a thuilleadh cúrsaí, agus cúrsaí eile ina dhiaidh sin. Cead a cinn ag an leisce i rith an tSamhraidh!
www.irishtimes.com
‘Easpa uaillmhéine’ an Rialtais
Iúil 31, 2013
Chuir Conradh na Gaeilge fáilte roimh na pleananna forfheidhmithe de chuid na Ranna Rialtais leis An Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010 – 2030 a chur i bhfeidhm, pleananna a foilsíodh Dé Céadaoin seo caite. Ach cháin an t-eagras an easpa uaillmhéine a léiríodh iontu.
Dúirt uachtarán an chonartha, Donnchadh Ó hAodha, go raibh “an-díomá” ar an eagras nár aithin an Rialtas pobal na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta “mar gheallsealbhóirí i gcur i bhfeidhm na straitéise”.
Ba chóir go gcuirfí “struchtúr riachtanach ardleibhéil ar bun idir na húdaráis agus na heagraíochtaí pobail Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta, áit a dhéanfar moltaí i dtaca leis an nGaeilge agus leis an straitéis sula gcuirtear ar aghaidh chuig na hAirí cuí iad”.
Chreid an conradh go raibh easpa spriocanna “dúshlánacha, uaillmhianacha” sna pleananna, mar shampla, ní raibh plean ann a thabharfadh aghaidh ar mhaolú stádas na Gaeilge san Aontas Eorpach faoi 2016.
Fágadh ar iarraidh, fosta, a dúirt an conradh, gur chuir lucht na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta in éadan athrú stádais d’Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga, deireadh a chur le deontas Gaeltachta d’ábhar múinteora agus an diúltú ar leasú a ghlacadh ar Acht na Gaeltachta.
www.irishtimes.com
Cúis na teanga le cur chun cinn trí dhífhostaíocht
Iúil 17, 2013
Tá 18 oibrí teanga – ar a laghad – lena gcuid postanna a chailleadh faoi mhúnla úr maoinithe Fhoras na Gaeilge.
D’fhógair an foras agus an Chomhairle Aireachta Thuaidh Theas an tseachtain seo caite go raibh córas nua maoinithe le cur i bhfeidhm leis na heagrais dheonacha. Beidh 6 “cheanneagraíocht” freagrach as Gaeloideachas; oideachas in earnáil an Bhéarla; forbairt phobail; deiseanna leis an Ghaeilge a úsáid; ardú feasachta agus forbairt deiseanna do dhaoine óga leis an teanga a úsáid. Leanfaidh Foras na Gaeilge le maoiniú na n-eagras mar atá siad go dtí Iúil 2014. Is faoi na ceanneagraíochtaí amháin a bheidh sé an obair a chur i gcrích ina sainréimsí ina dhiaidh sin agus tá cainteanna ar siúl idir an foras agus grúpaí faoin mhúnla faoi láthair.
D’eisigh Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge ráiteas inné a bhí duairc go maith faoin phróiseas céanna: “… cén todhchaí a d’fhéadfadh a bheith ann d’eagraíocht nach roghnaítear mar cheanneagraíocht? Iarrfar léirithe spéise ó dhreamanna chun feidhmiú mar cheanneagraíocht, ach ní fios go fóill cén cineál tacaíochta a d’fhéadfadh an cheanneagraíocht a chur ar fáil d’eagraíochtaí eile, nó cén struchtúr don chineál seo tacaíochta a bheadh inghlactha ag Foras na Gaeilge.” Thug Gael Linn le fios gur bheag baint a bhí ag an earnáil dheonach leis an socrú nua agus gur dheacair a fheiceáil cad é mar a réiteofaí na heagrais ar fad – 16 faoin socrú nua – leis an chur chuige nua. Thug preasráiteas caithréimeach an fhorais le fios go raibh “deireadh anois leis an éiginnteacht maidir leis an todhchaí, éiginnteacht a bhí ag cothú míshuaimhnis, imní agus deacrachtaí” ó bhí 2008 ann. Faraor, níor luaithe an ráiteas eisithe go raibh ceannasaí an fhorais, Ferdie Mac an Fhailigh, ar Raidió na Gaeltachta ag rá go bhfaigheadh 18 duine san earnáil dheonach bata agus bóthar faoin scéim úr.
Cibé rud a bhí sa ráiteas, thug caint Mhic an Fhailigh droim láimhe leis an nóisean go raibh deireadh le míshuaimhneas, imní agus deacrachtaí. Caillfear 18 post de réir a mheastúcháin féin. Beidh tionchar aige sin ar na daoine iad féin, ar fhorbairt na teanga agus ar neamhspleáchas na hoibre. Chuirfeá ceist ort féin gan amhras cad é mar a chuirtear an Ghaeilge chun cinn sa phobal agus níos lú daoine ag plé léi? Níl an t-uafás daoine i mbun oibre cheana féin (81 duine de réir an fhorais/tuairim is 60 de réir bharúil neamhoifigiúil na hearnála deonaí); is minic iad ag cur seirbhísí ar fáil de bharr nach bhfuil siad ar fáil ón Stát (nó ó na stáit!) agus caillfear a dtaithí agus a dteagmháil leis an phobal.
www.irishtimes.com
Stádas choláiste tríú leibhéal bronnta ar Ghaelchultúr i mBaile Átha Cliath
Iúil 17, 2013
Tá Éamonn Ó Dónaill, tar éis dea-scéal a fháil ó QQI (Dearbhú Cáilíochta agus Cáilíochtaí Éireann), dea-scéal a bhfuil sé ag fanacht leis le fada an lá, a scríobhann Seán Tadhg Ó Gairbhí.
Tá stádas mar choláiste tríú leibhéal bainte amach ag Gaelchultúr, an comhlacht oideachais agus comhairleoireachta a bunaíodh i mBaile Átha Cliath i 2004 chun an Ghaeilge agus an cultúr Gaelach a chur chun cinn. Thóg sé ceithre bliana an stádas mar choláiste a bhaint amach agus bhí ar Ghaelchultúr iarratas 400 leathanach a chur i dtoll a chéile. B’fhiú an tairbhe an trioblóid, a dúirt Ó Dónaill, duine de bhunaitheoirí an chomhlachta: “Faoiseamh mór a bhí ann dúinn mar bhíomar ag obair chomh fada sin ar an rud seo. Bhí sé fadálach malltriallach mar phróiseas ach cheap muid i gcónaí go raibh an próiseas ar fheabhas. “Bhí siad an-dian orainn ach bhí sé tuillte go maith againn agus murach go raibh sé chomh dian sin ní bheadh an struchtúr nó an cúrsa atá againn leath chomh maith is atá. Cé go raibh an próiseas mall, cheapamar go raibh sé cóir agus críochnúil, ach cinnte bhí sé dian.”
Tugadh cead do Ghaelchultúr chomh maith dioplóma iarchéime san aistriúchán a thairiscint ag leibhéal 9 de Chreatoibre Náisiúnta na gCáilíochtaí. Céim mhór chun tosaigh don chomhlacht é seo, a dúirt Ó Dónaill, stiúrthóir oideachais Ghaelchultúr: “Sílim go raibh sé an-tábhachtach an stádas seo a bhaint amach mar institiúid agus cead a fháil an dioplóma a chur ar fáil mar, i láthair na huaire leis an gcúlú eacnamaíochta, tá daoine ag súil le cáilíochtaí agus níl siad chomh tógtha céanna le cúrsaí a dhéanamh mar chaitheamh aimsire.” Deir sé go mbeidh deiseanna fostaíochta ann dóibh siúd a dhéanann an dioplóma san aistriúchán a thosóidh i Meán Fómhair: “Tiocfaidh na deiseanna chun cinn san Eoraip go háirithe. Faoi láthair, tá ganntanas ann agus ní fada go mbeidh géarchéim ann. Tá gá ní hamháin le haistritheoirí ach le dlítheangeolaoithe agus riarthóirí fosta. Tá na daoine sin le ceapadh ach, faoi láthair, b’fhéidir nach bhfuil na scileanna cuí ag lucht na Gaeilge le tabhairt faoin obair sin.” Tá Ó Dónaill, ar as Gaoth Dobhair ó thús dó, den tuairim gurb é an coláiste nua an chéad choláiste neamhspleách riamh atá ag feidhmiú go hiomlán trí Ghaeilge. Tá pleananna acu cur le líon na gcúrsaí atá acu de réir a chéile agus cúrsaí a chur ar fáil do mhúinteoirí atá ag iarraidh cur lena scileanna, mar shampla.
Beidh ainm an chomhlachta á athrú go Coláiste na hÉireann idir seo agus deireadh na bliana. Ach cad iad na buanna a bheidh ag Coláiste na hÉireann a scarfaidh amach é ó na dreamanna eile ar fad atá ag tairiscint cúrsaí Gaeilge? Tá Ó Dónaill den tuairim go gcuirfidh an múnla teagaisc agus an córas teicneolaíochta atá tógtha as an nua acu deis foghlama do dhaoine ar fud na tíre nach mbeadh ar a gcumas de ghnáth freastal ar chúrsaí: “Táimid ag iarraidh múnla nua a chur ar fáíl agus tá an bhéim á cur againn ar an fhoghlaim chumaisc nó “blended learning” mar a deirtear sa Bhéarla. “Beidh an fhoghlaim chumaisc mar chuid lárnach den obair, sin an rud atá éagsúil fúinn. Leis an múnla seo beidh daoine ag teacht isteach chugainn go dtí an seomra ranga gach mí agus beidh ranganna beo againn ar an idirlíon i rith na míosa freisin.”
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Gaelscoileanna ag moladh do lucht an oideachais Ghaelaigh scríobh chuig an Aire faoina phleananna nua scoile
Iúil 10, 2013
Tá an eagraíocht Gaelscoileanna ag iarraidh ar chathaoirligh agus ar phríomhoidí ar scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge litreacha a scríobh chuig an Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna, Ruairí Quinn, maidir le rialacha nua iontrála atá molta.
Tá dréachtbhille á ullmhú ag Quinn faoi láthair chun rialachán a chur faoin chleachtas iontrála i scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge, idir bhunleibhéal agus iarbhunleibhéal. Tá súil aige go mbeidh an dréachtbhille os comhair na Dála sula scoirfidh sí ar 18ú Iúil. Idir an dá linn, scríobh ardfheidhmeannach Gaelscoileanna, Bláthnaid Ní Ghreacháin, chuig cathaoirligh na scoileanna ag impí orthu a n-imní a chur in iúl don Aire agus d’ardrúnaí na Roinne Oideachais, Seán Ó Foghlú, maidir leis na himpleachtaí a bheadh ag na moltaí seo don Ghaelscolaíocht. Táthar buartha nach mbeidh cead ag na Gaelscoileanna rogha a bheith acu tús áite a thabhairt sa phróiseas iontrála do pháistí theaghlaigh lán-Ghaeilge nó i gcás na nGaelcholáistí do pháistí a d’fhreastal ar bhunscoil lán-Ghaeilge. Chas toscaireacht ó Ghaelscoileanna le teachtaí traspháirtí leis an ábhar a phlé i mí an Mheithimh. Táthar ag fanacht anois le dáta le dul os comhair an Chomhchoiste Oideachais.
www.irishtimes.com
Twitter as Gaeilge
Meitheamh 12, 2013
A chara,
– Peter McGuire (“G’tweet? G’wan ourra that, say students”, June 6th) will be glad to know that members of the Irish language community have been arguing about a good Irish version of “tweet” for several years now.
The official recommendation is “tvuít”, which is in line with the Irish phonological system, but most of us have gone with the ungaelicised “tweet” (“Tá Peadar ag tweetáil arís”). A creative rearguard insist on “giolcach”, however, since that’s what a bird actually does!
This will all come as news to the Department of Education, which assumes we don’t exist and simply makes up words to suit its presentation of Irish as an unauthentic and artificial second language. Its presentation is, alas, grist to the mill of uninformed journalists, who tell us without evidence that “Irish has always struggled to fit in with the popular kids” and who apparently see the language as little more than Peig and a few seanfhocail.
In fact, Irish is spoken vigorously across the country and around the world. We have our own cool kids, thank you very much, and don’t feel the remotest need to “fit in” with speakers of other languages.
– Is mise,
BRIAN Ó BROIN,
PhD,
Department of English,
William Paterson University,
New Jersey, US.
www.irishtimes.com
Happy Irish students are delighted at range of essays
Meitheamh 11, 2013
The essay titles were maybe a bit too easy, more like Junior Cert.
An “easy” Irish higher paper divided teachers’ opinions yesterday, but students were delighted with a range of accessible essay topics.
“I was delighted to see them happy coming out of higher Irish,” said Ruth Morrissey of St Michael’s Community College in Kilmihil, Co Clare.
“The students had loads of choice, and would have been well prepared for topics on sport, politics and tourism. We are trying to encourage more students to take Irish at this level and today’s paper was very positive in that regard.”
Too easy
Robbie Cronin of Marian College in Ballsbridge, Dublin, expressed concern that students looking for higher grades may have found the paper too easy. “The essay titles were maybe a bit too easy, more like Junior Cert questions. Students who want an A or B are looking for more of a challenge.”
Movies, holidays and free houses were “dream essay topics” for the 23,000 who sat the ordinary level Irish exam yesterday. More than half of all students taking Irish sit the subject at this level, with a further 3,329 taking the subject at foundation level.
The first part of yesterday’s exam was a listening comprehension that constitutes 10 per cent of the overall grade for Irish. Some ordinary level students complained that the audio was “too fast”.
“Both ordinary and higher level students listen to the same audio, although they are asked different questions,” said Mr Cronin. “Speed is often an issue for the ordinary level students and it’s something that should be looked at. It only counts for 10 per cent but it’s the first part of the exam and it’s unsettling if they can’t follow what they hear. I could see their faces during the exam and you could tell some of them were having difficulty.”
Ms Morrissey said that her higher level students struggled with section C of the aural exam because the speaker used an Ulster dialect. Accessible Overall, however, the written component of the ordinary paper was regarded as accessible, especially the essays.
“The essays were brilliant for the level,” said Mr Cronin. “They would have loved a topic like a party in the free house – the very thing we all dread.
“The letter was a bit more difficult. Many of the students would not have known the Irish for ‘talent show’. They should have used a programme title like The Voice to give the students an indication.
“It was notable that the examiners managed to avoid mentioning modern technology like emails, texts or tweets altogether.”
www.irishtimes.com
Examiners on trend with music and fashion
Meitheamh 7, 2013
Little Mix, Michelle Obama and Kilkenny hurler Henry Shefflin all got a mention.
Music, technology, celebrities, and tweeting dominated this year’s Junior Cert Irish papers as examiners made a concerted effort to produce a current and culturally relevant exam.
Students opened up the higher level paper 1 and were greeted with a large picture of Little Mix, the 2011 winners of The X Factor. The girl group were used to test Irish grammar.
Although there was much online chatter over the inclusion of a comprehension piece on tweeting (#gtúit) as Gaeilge, teachers felt that some of the vocabulary used – including the word líonrú (networking) – would be unfamiliar to many teens. “I’ve been teaching Irish for over 20 years and I had to look the word up in an online dictionary,” said Robbie Cronin, ASTI subject representative for Irish and a teacher at Marian College, Ballsbridge, Dublin. Manchán Magan Paper 1 also featured a language test built around a TG4 programme hosted by travel writer Manchán Magan.
On higher level paper 2, the contemporary relevance continued, with students required to write about a video they saw on YouTube, or about a band or musician they like or to compose an angry missive to the editor of the local newspaper protesting over a referee’s decision in a sports game.
The response to paper 1 was mixed. A reading comprehension question about a lonely monkey in the Congo was probing but fair, according to Séamus Ó Fearraigh, TUI subject representative for Irish and a teacher in Gairmscoil Chú Uladh, Co Donegal, but some students criticised a question that asked them to write about the sad eyes of the monkey.
Mr Ó Fearraigh said that some of the essay topics – such as “How I Spent my Last Birthday”, “Fashion for People Today” and “Why friends are Very Important in People’s Lives” – would be challenging enough for people to write about in English, let alone Irish. Plain prose The response to paper 2 was more favourable, said Mr Cronin. “It received very positive feedback from both students and teachers. Generally the hardest parts for the boys I teach are the unseen prose and poetry pieces, which can be incomprehensible – not so this year,” he said.
There were no shocks or upsets in the ordinary level paper, where celebrities also featured: US first lady Michelle Obama and Kilkenny hurler Henry Shefflin – regarded by some as the greatest hurler of all time – both made an appearance. Questions were asked about Ms Obama’s children, her family, and her upbringing.
“The topic was current because the Obamas were in Ireland last year and Michelle Obama is due to make a return visit with her children,” said Mr Ó Fearraigh.
But not all students were happy. One boy took to Twitter to moan: “Why can’t I do honours Irish?! They got Little Mix while pass got Michelle Obama.”
www.irishtimes.com
Cé a scríobhfaidh na plécháipéisí?
Meitheamh 5, 2013
Cé a thógfadh cinneadh crua nuair a d’fhéadfaí plécháipéis a lorg faoi na moltaí sa tuarascáil ón gcoiste ardleibhéil a bunaíodh chun staidéar a dhéanamh ar na féidearthachtaí a bhain le straitéis trasrannach a fhorbairt bunaithe ar aighneachtaí a fuarthas ó na geallsealbhóirí agus na páirtithe leasmhara eile le linn an phróisis chomhairliúcháin chuimsithigh ar cuireadh tús leis mar chuid den athbhreithniú uileghabhálach a fógraíodh mar gur aithin na húdaráis chuí an phráinn a bhain le dréachtpholasaí nua a cheapadh?
Sea, ní tearc na seifteanna atá ann sa pholaitíocht dóibh siúd atá ag iarraidh cinneadh a chur ar an méar fhada.
Ag labhairt dó ag comhdháil a d’eagraigh an Chomhairle Um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta i mBaile Átha Cliath le déanaí, dúirt ardrúnaí na Roinne Oideachais, Seán Ó Foghlú, go raibh cinneadh déanta ag an Roinn Oideachais “athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar an soláthar oideachais trí Ghaeilge i scoileanna Gaeltachta le cúlraí teanga difriúla”.
Ba é cuspóir an athbhreithnithe seo “ná roghanna éagsúla a aithint maidir le hoideachas trí Ghaeilge a sholáthar a bheidh ag teacht le riachtanais na bpobal Gaeltachta agus le riachtanais phleanála na gceantar Gaeltachta de réir Acht na Gaeltachta 2012”. Bhunófaí próiseas comhairliúcháin leis na “páirtithe leasmhara” agus bheadh an t-athbhreithniú déanta faoi lár 2014.
Ach nuair a cuireadh ceist ar Ó Foghlú an mbeadh polasaí oideachais ar leith don Ghaeltacht againn i ndiaidh an athbhreithnithe, ní fhéadfadh sé a rá cé acu a bheadh nó nach mbeadh.
Faraor, ní bheidh aon ghá le polasaí oideachais ar leith don Ghaeltacht sara i bhfad. Más fíor don taighde níl ach idir 10-15 bliain fágtha ag an nGaeilge mar theanga phobail agus theaghlaigh fiú sna ceantair is láidre Ghaeltachta.
Mar sin féin, níor cheart neamhaird a thabhairt ar fhógra Uí Fhoghlú. Fógra suntasach a bhí ann mar in ainneoin go bhfuil lánleabharlann ann de thuarascálacha stáit faoi cheist na Gaeilge, is ar éigean gur tugadh aird riamh ar cheist an oideachais sa Ghaeltacht.
Mar a dúirt an Dr Peadar Ó Flatharta i dtuairisc a scríobh sé do COGG i 2007, ba bheag “an tábhacht a leagadh ar chóras oideachais Gaeltachta ó bhunú an Stáit i leith, tráth ar bith a raibh plé ar siúl ná moltaí á ndéanamh maidir le todhchaí na Gaeilge go náisiúnta, ná maidir le háit na Gaeilge sa chóras oideachais”.
Dúirt ardrúnaí na Roinne Oideachais ag an gcomhdháil i mBaile Átha Cliath go dtógfadh an t-athbhreithniú san áireamh an taighde náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta faoin ábhar seo, “taighde COGG san áireamh”. B’fhiú go mór tosú le tuairisc Uí Fhlatharta inar moladh go mbunófaí Bord Oideachais Gaeltachta ar a leagfaí cúram iomlán an oideachais Ghaeltachta agus go gcuirfí cúram an oideachais Ghaeltachta agus lán-Ghaeilge ar Aire Stáit de chuid na Roinne Oideachais.
Is léir nach raibh fonn riamh, áfach, ar an Roinn Oideachais caitheamh le pobal na Gaeltachta mar mhionlach a raibh riachtanais agus cearta oideachais ar leith acu. Léiriú ar an dearcadh sin is ea an scrúdú ardteiste atá le déanamh ag cainteoirí dúchais na Gaeltachta, an scrúdú céanna a dhéanann daltaí ardteiste eile nach bhfuil díolúine ón nGaeilge acu. Masla is ea an scrúdú seo don chainteoir dúchais agus do chainteoirí líofa eile mar nach bhfuil aon dúshlán ag baint leis.
Dúirt Ó Foghlú go raibh “dualgas” ar an earnáil oideachais “a chinntiú go mbeidh dóthain daoine ann le cumas sa Ghaeilge chun freastal ar riachtanais Ghaeilge i réimsí oibre éagsúla mar shampla sa dlí, sna meáin, san aistriúchán agus, dar ndóigh, san oideachas”.
Má táthar dáiríre faoin “dualgas” sin, tabharfaidh an t-athbhreithniú aghaidh ar cheist seo an churaclaim don ardteist.
Ochtó bliain ó shin, i 1933, scríobhadh meamram sa Roinn Oideachais a mhol don Ghaeltacht “a number of higher primary schools or senior schools which will not tend to direct the pupils towards black coat occupations but will rather train them for the life to which ordinarily the most of them will be called”.
Ochtó bliain ina dhiaidh sin agus níl oiliúint cheart ina dteanga féin á cur ar dhaltaí na Gaeltachta do phostanna áirithe. Cad as a thiocfaidh na múinteoirí, na dlíodóirí, na léachtóirí, na hiriseoirí agus na státseirbhísigh le cumas ard sa Ghaeilge?
Cé a scríobhfaidh na plécháipéisí?
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