Head of first Gaelscoil in Waterford city with passion for Irish language, music
Eanáir 2, 2013
Treasa Ní Eachthighearnn’s lasting memorial is that education through Irish is firmly established in Waterford city.
She was first head of Gaelscoil Phort Láirge, the first Gaelscoil in the city. It began in 1985 with 20 pupils in a basement. Classes were often interrupted by rain flooding the accommodation. The Gaelscoil is now housed in a purpose-built school with 224 pupils.
After retiring, she continued to train the school choirs.
She was passionate about the Irish language and music. Her instrument of choice was the flute, she was organist in her local church and she was a more than useful fiddle player. At the time of her death she was learning the concertina.
Her passion for music sent her up and down the country to traditional music events. She collected tunes and loved finding rare verses of songs.
Her passion for music was infectious, being passed on to her pupils. The choir of Gaelscoil Phort Láirge has always had a high standard, winning several major competitions.
She followed Waterford hurlers; to her, John Mullane was one of the all-time greats.
Treasa was born Teresa Hearne in 1943 in Clogheen, Co Tipperary, the third child and only daughter to teacher William Hearne, a Wexford man, and his wife Kathleen (Sheehan), from Cork city.
Having attended the secondary school in the Convent of Mercy in Wexford, she spent over a decade as a Mercy nun, including teaching science in Carrick-on-Suir for a period. During that time, she studied for a degree in Irish at UCC.
In the 1970s, she took the difficult decision to leave religious life. Training as a primary teacher, she taught in Stradbally, Co Waterford, then Duncannon, Co Wexford, before helping to establish the Gaelscoil.
Treasa is survived by her brothers Thomas, Billy, Eugene, Martin and Colum.
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Changing school patronage
Nollaig 19, 2012
Sir, – The extremely low participation in the survey on school patronage is not surprising. Every effort was made to keep this survey as low key as possible.
The online survey received very little coverage in the media and information on the Department of Education website presented so many different options and possibilities that it would seem that the vast majority of parents just decided that the best thing to do would be nothing at all. As predicted only those who are fanatical about change voted.
According to your article, (“School Patronage survey queried”, Home News, December 14th) just 4 per cent (parents of 80 children out of a school population of 1,965 in Arklow) voted for change. The Department of Education is releasing only the figures for those who have voted for change and not the exact statistics on the percentage of parents who participated. Mini ster for Education Ruairí Quinn has said results in the five pilot areas show a “strong demand for change”.
Yet Fr Michael Drumm of the Catholic Schools Partnership says, “Those who expressed an opinion in favour of change amount in each of the five areas to less than 10 per cent of parents”.
Who is right; and is the department going to act on the whim of such a small minority? May I remind Mr Quinn that when only 35 per cent of the electorate voted on the Nice treaty in 2001 we were told that we would have to vote again. Even when 53 per cent voted on the Lisbon Treaty in 2008 we were told that because we did not understand the issues we would have to vote again.
We pride ourselves on our democracy, but to impose the biggest change in primary education since the setting up of the national schools on the basis of such a slender minority vote would be dictatorial and not democratic.
– Yours, etc,
AM KEHOE,
Roselawn Road, Castleknock, Dublin 15.
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Ní leanann Foras na Gaeilge na rialacha atá acu féin
Nollaig 19, 2012
Chaith Foras na Gaeilge €210,753 ar tháillí dlí le linn 2009 agus 2010 ar cheist a bhain le cúrsaí pinsin a bhfoirne.
Caitheadh an t-airgead sin gan “comórtas oscailte” a eagrú – rud a sháraíonn rialacha an fhorais féin. De réir na tuarascála bliantúla agus na gcuntas do 2009, d’fhostaigh an foras dhá chomhlacht dlí lena gcuid riachtanas pinsin a fhiosrú i ndiaidh gur theip ar an eagras “ranníocaíochtaí fostaithe a bhaint agus a íoc go tráthúil” agus “gan eolas a nochtadh nó a chur ar fáil a iarrtar faoin statúid nó ó riarthóirí an phinsin”.
Cuireadh na cuntais ar fáil i ndiaidh chruinniú Chomhairle Aireachta Thuaidh/Theas (CATT) an tseachtain seo caite.
D’eisigh cathaoirleach an fhorais, Liam Ó Maoilmhichíl, ráiteas á rá go raibh ar an bhord “iniúchadh a dhéanamh ar an cheist ar bhealach gairmiúil neamhspleách le bheith ábalta (i) géilliúlacht a chinntiú agus (ii) lena chinntiú nach dtarlódh a leithéid arís”.
Dúirt sé nach raibh “mí-úsáid” ná caillteanas airgid i gceist, go raibh sé sásta go bhfuair siad réiteach sásúil ar an cheist agus, bíodh is go ndearnadh an soláthar seo taobh amuigh den ghnáthchur chuige, rinneadh mar “ábhar práinne” é. Rud “neamhghnách” a bhí ann nach ndéanfaí “in athuair”.
Cuireann an scéala droch-chríoch ar dhrochbhliain eile ag an fhoras. Bhí ar an eagras an tSamhail Úr Mhaoinithe a chaitheamh i leataobh le linn an tsamhraidh, samhail a bhí le bonn nua a chur faoi chúrsaí maoinithe na n-eagras, thuaidh agus theas.
Lena chois sin, ní raibh an foras ábalta teacht ar mhúnla nua maoinithe go fóill a bheadh inghlactha. D’fhógair an Chomhairle Aireachta Thuaidh/Theas an Chéadaoin seo caite go leanfaí den status quo ó thaobh struchtúir de go ceann tamaill bhig eile.
Tháinig an scéala sin sna sála ar chomhfhreagas ón fhoras chun na n-eagras á rá leo nach dtiocfadh leo a bheith cinnte de mhaoiniú fadtéarmach ar an bhliain seo chugainn.
Chuir na heagraíochtaí deonacha a míshástacht leis an fhoras faoin phróiseas nua maoinithe in iúl d’Aire Stáit na Gaeltachta, Dinny McGinley, agus d’Aire Cultúir Thuaisceart Éireann, Carál Ní Chuilín, i litir roimh an chruinniú CATT.
Dúirt siad go raibh roinnt cruinnithe ann ach nach raibh próiseas comhairliúcháin mar ba cheart faoi mholtaí nua agus go raibh “an-imní” orthu nach raibh ionchur acu sa phróiseas. D’iarr siad ar lucht CATT gan moltaí ar bith a chur chun cinn go dtí go mbeadh gach eagras eolach orthu.
Bhí fadhbanna inmheánacha ag an fhoras fosta. Léiríonn miontuairiscí de chuid an fhorais go raibh seisiún iata, is é sin, druidte, ag na comhaltaí boird, ag deireadh Mheithimh i mbliana inar thug an cathaoirleach, Liam Ó Maoilmhichíl, “uasdátú don bhord ar an phróiseas smachta. Thug an bord cead don chathaoirleach agus don leas-chathaoirleach bille ó na dlíodóirí a shíniú ar son an bhoird.”
D’fhiafraigh an colún seo den fhoras cad é na sonraí a bhain leis an phróiseas ach freagraíodh gur “ceist inmheánach í seo atá faoi réir na rialacha cosanta sonraí agus ní bheidh Foras na Gaeilge ag déanamh trácht ar bith ina leith”. Ceisteanna arís Ní den chéad uair, cuireann tú ceist ort féin faoi éifeacht an fhorais. Chuir an t-eagras olc ar eagraíochtaí deonacha ar feadh blianta lena samhail nua mhaoinithe. Ní ann don tsamhail áirithe sin níos mó ach maireann an t-olc i gcónaí.
Beidh tréimhse éiginnte eile stocaireachta ar siúl sula n-éireoidh leis an fhoras agus leis na heagraíochtaí teacht ar chomhréiteach – rud nach gcuidíonn le cur chun cinn na teanga.
Dá olcas sin, is measa arís an scéala nua seo. Beidh na heagraíochtaí a fhaigheann maoiniú ón fhoras ag déanamh iontais de gur chaith an foras €210,000 ar tháillí dlí gan chomórtas poiblí a reáchtáil. Suim ollmhór airgid atá ann féin agus ní go réidh a luíonn ráitis chráifeacha an fhorais faoi luach airgid phoiblí a fháil agus an cás áirithe seo.
Bhí teip amháin ann, mar sin, nár chomhlíon an foras a gcuid dualgas i leith pinsin agus bhain an dara teip leis an socrú comhlachtaí dlí a fhostú gan tairiscint phoiblí a dhéanamh – agus an scéal ar fad le fáil i gcúpla líne taobh istigh de thuarascáil atá i gcló trí bliana mall.
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Teaching time at primary level
Nollaig 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.
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School patronage survey queried
Nollaig 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 i dentify schools which could be divested in the five pilot areas.
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Church to identify schools it can divest
Nollaig 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
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Patronage change sought in surveys
Nollaig 12, 2012
The Department of Education is set to press ahead with the process of handing over Catholic-run schools to other patron bodies after the results of parent surveys were published today.
The Department insists the surveys show strong parental demand for a greater choice of patron.
But the very low turnout in some areas – less than 40 per cent- will be seized on by critics as evidence the public is not greatly exercised about changes to school patronage.
The surveys were conducted on a pilot basis in five areas Arklow, Castlebar, Tramore, Trim and Whitehall. Shortly , they will be rolled out in 44 other areas which have been identified as those where the Catholic church may be over represented.
In the five areas, the multi-denominational group Educate Together emerged as the first choice of alternative patron. Each of the five areas already has an existing Gaelscoil, which is capable of accommodating the demand expressed for Irish language medium schools.
“Parents have been given a voice through this survey process to express a preference for the types of schools they want to send their children to. While many are happy with the schools already available in their area, there is a clear demand from others for greater choice,” Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn said.
“I will now ask the main patron in each area, the Catholic Bishop or Archbishop, to consider the re-configuration options open to him which would allow sufficient school accommodation to be made available to facilitate this choice.”
Mr Quinn is requesting each of the patrons to consult with their local school communities.
The Department is requesting an interim response in three months and a final response in six months.
Mr Quinn has also announced that the survey will be rolled out to further areas in early January. “Parents from the other towns identified following the Forum Report on Patronage will be able to express their views on the choice of primary schools in their towns via the survey from the 9th of January for one month.”
The report published today outlines in detail the result of the surveys carried out over three weeks, beginning in late October.
Parents of pre-school and primary school children were asked to take part in a survey, with almost 99 per cent doing so online, to determine if there is demand for a wider choice of patron in their locality.
The aim of the survey was to establish the level of parental demand for a wider choice of patronage in primary schools in the areas.
Each town has a relatively stable population and therefore little prospect of a new school opening there in coming years. A total of 1,788 valid survey responses were received. These represented 3,459 children in the five areas.
The number of parents who supported a wider choice of patron ranged from 37 per cent to 50 per cent of respondents in the five areas. The percentage of parents who said they would send their children to an alternative school patron if available ranged from 25 per cent to 35 per cent. While those who did not want to see more choice ranged from 35 per cent to 44 per cent of respondents.
On their preference for the English or Irish language school medium, 70 per cent to almost 80 per cent of respondents chose English language schools, while the preference for instruction in the Irish language ranged from almost 10 per cent to 21 per cent.
Of those parents seeking wider choice of patron, Educate Together was the first preference of 56 per cent to 76 per cent of parents, An Forás Pátrúnachta was the first choice for between 6 per cent to 26 per cent of parents and the VECs ranged from 10 per cent to 18 per cent.
Number of responses in the five pilot areas :
* Arklow: 384 responses, representing 706 of the 1,965 pupils in primary schools in the area.
*Castlebar: 465 responses, representing 932 of the 2,261 pupils in the area.
*Tramore: 276 responses , representing 563 of the 1,644 pupils in the area.
*Trim: 300 responses, representing 588 of the 1,540 pupils in the area.
*Whitehall: 546 responses, representing 987 of the 2,449 pupils in the area.
Hope of ‘world-class system’ some way off
Nollaig 12, 2012
The time allocated to maths and science in primary schools may have to increase
In absolute terms, Ireland has performed well in the new international rankings. Irish children in fourth class are performing at above average levels in literacy, maths and science.
The Irish primary education system is performing reasonably well in reading and Irish students are performing at a high level. But when set against the lofty ambitions set for it by government, the performance is less impressive.
The Irish education system is good but still something less than the “world-class system” regularly trumpeted by successive ministers for education. To coin a term: we are good, but not great.
One awkward fact emerges from the reports – Ireland is not ranked among the top performers in reading, maths or science. Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn – who has criticised the complacency about overall standards in the education system – said yesterday that “pupils in a number of other countries are performing significantly above the performance of Irish students’’ .
Overall plan
What’s the problem on maths and science? When in opposition Quinn was in no doubt. Taken together, the teaching of religion and Irish absorbed more than 20 per cent of teaching time at primary level. Essentially, he made the case for recasting the day in primary schools with a focus on maths and science .
As Minister , Quinn is actively pursuing the issue. As part of his overall plan to boost literacy and numeracy, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has been asked to examine the time dedicated to each subject in the primary school curriculum.
At present only 4 per cent of all curriculum time is allocated to science in primary schools, the second lowest in the developed world. Time allocated to maths (12 per cent) and science is also well below the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average (16 per cent and 8 per cent respectively).
Time allocated
Unsurprisingly, the report shows a direct correlation between the time allocated to a subject and student performance in that subject.
Ireland allocates a high proportion of teaching time to reading ( in both English and Irish) and the results are encouraging. But results are less impressive in maths and science, where less time is allocated.
Yesterday, Quinn hinted he was still impatient for change. “The official time allocation for religion and Irish is high relative to other subjects.
“Am I personally concerned by that? Yes I am. But this is a choice that parents and teachers and the patrons of schools have to make.”
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Most people say they can speak some Irish
Samhain 28, 2012
Population positive about language but only 27% want it as main spoken tongue
A large majority of adults say they are able to speak Irish but do not want it to be revived as the main spoken language, according to the Ipsos MRBI 50th anniversary poll.
The survey shows that a total of 74 per cent say they are able to speak some Irish.
Most of these people (55 per cent), however, say they can speak very little of it. A further 16 per cent say they can speak the language “fairly well”, while just 4 per cent say they can speak it “very well”. A total of 24 per cent say they cannot speak Irish at all.
Ability to speak Irish varies with age and geography, according to the poll results. In general, younger people are more likely to be able to say they can speak the language well.
A total of 27 per cent of those aged 18-34 are able to speak the language either “very well” or “fairly well”. The proportion is lower among older age groups such as those aged 35- 54 (16 per cent) and the over-55s (19 per cent).
Political parties
When the results on ability to speak the language are broken down by political party supporters, they show interesting differences. The proportion who can speak some Irish is l owest among Sinn Féin voters (75 per cent) and highest among Fine Gael voters (86 per cent).
The number of Irish-speaking Fianna Fáil supporters is 80 per cent, while the figure falls to 76 per cent among Labour supporters.
Not surprisingly, the highest concentration of Irish speakers is in Connacht/Ulster and Munster.
Students are more likely to be able to speak some Irish (85 per cent). The figures are lower for those who are working (80 per cent ) and not working (70 per cent).
People’s ability to understand spoken Irish on radio or television is comparable to their ability to speak it. Again, a majority of people – 74 per cent – say they can understand Irish.
When this overall figure is broken down, most of these people say they can understand “some” Irish (56 per cent). A further 14 per cent say they understand “most” of the language, while just 4 per cent say they understand all of it.
In general, younger people and those from Connacht/ Ulster and Munster were more likely to be able to understand the language.
Most people are positively disposed towards Irish and would like to see it used more widely – but only to a point. A majority say they do not want Irish revived as the main spoken language of the country.
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Record numbers go on to third level
Samhain 28, 2012
Private fee-paying schools, Gaelscoileanna and State schools in more prosperous areas are doing especially well, but the picture elsewhere is not as rosy
One of the striking features of the list is the strong performance of schools in Leitrim and Sligo, where virtually all schools have a 100 per cent progression rate to third-level.
An increasing number of Leaving Certificate students are proceeding to third- level education, according to the 2012 School League Tables. A decade ago, when The Irish Times first published these lists, the average progression rate was about 70 per cent; today most schools send about 80 per cent of their students on to third-level institutions.
The picture is very mixed, however. Three types of school tend to perform well in the league tables. These are private feepaying schools, Gaelscoileanna and State schools in more prosperous areas. The picture is much bleaker when you look at schools in disadvantaged areas, where progression rates of less than 60 per cent are not uncommon.
The picture is striking in Dublin. Belvedere College, the Jesuit secondary school near Parnell Square, has a progression rate of 100 per cent, but three other schools in the area, including O’Connell’s Christian Brothers school, have transfer rates of less than 60 per cent. Some schools in west Dublin have progression rates of as low as 30 per cent.
In Dublin, private fee-paying schools top the league tables in most postal districts. Many have a progression rate of 100 per cent, including Loreto Abbey in Dalkey; St Andrew’s College in Booterstown; Catholic University School on Leeson Street; Gonzaga College, in Ranelagh; the Teresian School, in Donnybrook; and Blackrock College.
That said, many non fee-paying schools in Dublin perform exceptionally well. These include Muckross Park College, in Donnybrook; St Benildus College, in Stillorgan; and Holy Faith Secondary School, in Clontarf.
Broadly, schools in south Dublin tend to perform better than their counterparts in north Dublin.
Galelscoileanna also feature strongly in the lists. Coláiste Íosagáin and Coláiste Eoin, which share a campus in Stillorgan, in south Co Dublin, both achieve a 100 per cent progression rate.
Outside Dublin, two Gaelscoileanna in Galway city both achieve 100 per cent transfer rates. Gaelscoileanna in Cork, Mayo and Carlow are among several others that also do well.
One of the striking features of the list is the strong performance of schools in Leitrim and Sligo, where virtually all schools have a 100 per cent progression rate. Sligo Institute of Technology appears to be doing well in attracting local students.
In Cork there is a mixed picture. Christian Brothers College on Sidney Hill, Scoil Mhuire Secondary School on Sidney Place and Presentation Brothers College in Mardyke are among the private schools that do well. Overall, 14 schools in the county have a 100 per cent progression rate. These include several non fee-paying schools, including Sacred Heart Secondary School in Clonakilty, St Francis College in Rochestown and Mount Mercy College.
The performance of schools in Co Mayo is also eye-catching. No fewer than 16 schools in the county register a progression rate of 100 per cent. In all, 24 or 26 schools in the county have a progression rate of more than 80 cent. This is all the more remarkable when one considers that Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology is the only major third-level college in the county.
Co Roscommon also does well. Six of the eight schools in the county have progression rates of 100 per cent, despite the absence of a local third-level college.
Overall, this year’s league tables show a rising tide. More and more students are progressing to third level.
And record numbers of schools are showing a progression rate of 100 per cent.
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