# Education
All time
# Department of Education
Doubt over Thursday re-opening for special education classes amid 'make or break' talks
A webinar for teachers was held yesterday where “vitriolic” comments were left about public health experts’ assertion that schools are safe.
# covid19
'Our children are suffering': Parents of children with special needs tell government and unions to 'sort it out'
Unions have said teachers’ concerns about their safety have not been eased by health officials.
# Special Needs
Deputy CMO insists school closures should be 'last resort' only after criticism from special needs teachers
Talks are continuing with unions about the reopening of schools for students with special educational needs.
# Education
Schools to reopen for students with special needs from 21 January
The ‘staggered’ return is to begin from 21 January.
# Special Needs
Re-opening schools for students with special needs to be prioritised by government, says minister
Four groups, representing 30,00 children, state that remote schooling is not an option for them.
# Education
ASTI and TUI directed teachers not to co-operate with government plans before Leaving Cert u-turn
Leaving Certs were set to return to school for three days per week.
# ECCE
State-funded ECCE pre-school programme to remain closed for a week, other childcare to open Monday
Creches and childminders can continue to operate as planned.
# MTU
Creation of new Munster Technological University an 'important milestone' for south west
Cork Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Tralee have joined together to become the Munster Technological University (MTU).
# Education
Number of sixth year students studying a foreign language falls as STEM gender gap persists
A report has found that “strong differences can be seen in the percentages of girls and boys when it comes to STEM, particularly when biology is excluded”.
Voices
Opinion: Teaching children digital literacy is a must if we are to combat misinformation
Emma DeSouza says children and the wider community must be taught the required skills to navigate a digital world.
# Students
College fees will not rise under current Government, says Taoiseach
Students currently pay €3,000 annually to attend college, a rate that is among the highest in Europe.
# Christmas break
Education Minister says there's no reason to close schools early ahead of Christmas or open them later after New Year
Norma Foley says there’s no public health advice suggesting this should happen.
# Primary School
Mayo school that said it would close from today due to Covid cases will now reopen on Monday
The school board and principal were told it did not have the authority to close the school without public-health experts’ approval.
Voices
Anonymous Teacher: 'Instead of cheers and claps, we are getting sneers from the public'
A teacher says the TUI calls this week for an early Christmas break were unhelpful, as those in her profession face a change in tone from the public.
# Wellbeing
Teachers' union asks government to start school Christmas break a few days earlier
Schools are due to close on Tuesday 22 December; the TUI is suggesting that they instead close on Friday 18 December.
Voices
Opinion: We at Irish universities owe it to our students to address our imperial legacies
Trinity professor Ciaran O’Neill says it’s time for Irish universities to address their own dark imperial past as students now seek real change.
# Covid-19
New €300,000 fund aims to support Travellers who want to study in third level
The fund will be used to support technology, study space, and caring responsibilities.
# gaelscoileanna
Education Minister begins search for patrons of three new Dublin primary schools
The schools will open next September.
# Coronavirus
Around 70 schools have had in-school Covid-19 transmission
The HSE has said 599 schools have required a public health assessment and testing.
# Your Say
Poll: Would you support teachers striking over Covid-19 safety concerns?
ASTI members have voted to take industrial action unless government addresses Covid-19 safety concerns.
# Education
Support package for 14,000 higher education places with reduced fees
Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris has announced funding of €30 million to support part-time or post-graduate places.
# Schools
'I found myself googling Woodies': Some schools were forced to close today over the hand sanitiser recall
The Department of Agriculture had warned that the product was recalled, citing possible public health concerns.
# Review
18 students awarded higher marks after more than 12,000 appeals of Calculated Grades
The new results were given to students at 12pm today.
# Schools
Parents sometimes feel 'coerced' into accepting reduced timetables for their children, committee hears
A Department of Education official said today the practice is to be “limited solely to those circumstances where it is absolutely necessary”.
# Coronavirus
Education Minister: 'All available evidence shows schools are not amplification settings for Covid-19'
Norma Foley reiterated the government’s ‘absolute determination’ to keep schools open.
# Leaving Certificate
Government confirms independent review of Calculated Grades process will take place
Over 6,000 students received new grades following an error with the system.
# Budget 2021
Primary school pupil-teacher ratio 'to be reduced by one student per class'
The government has promised an average ratio of 25:1.
# Schools
Minister for Health says 'there isn't going to be a longer mid-term break'
Donnelly joined junior minister Niall Collins who earlier rejected suggestions that schools could close for an extended period.
# Calculated Grades
Some students affected by Leaving Cert grade errors may have to defer college course, Foley says
It’s understood 800 to 900 students may have lost out on a college place due to the situation.
# Explainer
Explainer: What the Leaving Cert Calculated Grade errors mean for students
Around 6,500 students will now receive higher grades as a result.
# Education
Leaving Cert: About 6,500 students set to receive higher grades after coding error
Two errors have been identified in the calculated grades system.
# Education
Two errors identified in Leaving Cert Calculated Grades system, about 6,000 students affected
Education Minister Norma Foley will make a comprehensive statement on the matter later today.
# Calculated Grades
Leaving Cert students can now find out how their school ranked them against classmates
Students can also apply to sit the postponed exams in November.
Voices
A teacher and her Sixth Year students debate To Kill A Mockingbird's place on the syllabus
We asked our anonymous teacher to share her views and those of some of her students on the recent controversy surrounding To Kill A Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men in light of the Black Lives Matter movement.
# black lives matter
Government urged to drop novels with 'racial slurs' from Junior Cert syllabus in response to Black Lives Matter protests
Parents, pupils and teachers have called for an update the school curriculum.
# Schools
Less than half of schools providing medical grade face masks to SNAs, survey finds
That’s according to a survey conducted by trade union Fórsa.
# pandemic
PUP claims drop further as 1,500 education employees return to work
Claims are down 63% since the peak on 5 May.
# covid committee
Education Minister Norma Foley says pupils will get priority testing in event of a Covid-19 outbreak in school
Foley is to appear before the Oireachtas Committee on Covid-19 this afternoon.
Education minister: Schools to deal with 'malicious coughing' and Covid-19 jokes from pupils individually
Norma Foley played down suggestions her department would issue advice on bad behaviour related to Covid-19.
# Leaving Cert 2021
Parents say lockdown had a negative impact on learning of students due to sit the Leaving Cert next year
The survey from the CSO gives an insight into parents concerns as the academic year begins.
