Back in the recession, the capitation grant paid to primary schools was cut a low level of €170 per pupil per day, not even enough to cover their school books, insurance, swimming lessons and whatever else their parents have to dip into their pockets to fund their education, which, of course is supposed to be … Read more
The job of the Teaching Principal is impossible yet over 1,800 people do it every day. However, how do we have a situation where all Teaching Principals became Admin? Is it even possible?
Picture the scene. Ireland at the beginning of 2008. It was the height of the Celtic Tiger. The Fianna Fáil tent was dripping in champagne and helicopter fuel. The Builders were driving Mercs and laughing at teachers. And the following adorned the front pages of the newspapers: “The principals of about 1,700 primary schools are … Read more
Class Size seems to be a subject that has a universal agreement in terms of an answer – smaller class sizes are better – but is this true and are we even asking the right question?
This episode is partially inspired by two news stories: one where a child hospitalised two members of staff and his expulsion was overturned through an appeal; and one where a study basically lambasted schools for shortening children’s school days. In this episode I wonder how has it suddenly become acceptable in any way to be … Read more
To celebrate 6 months since I started this podcast, If I were the Minister for Education investigates the scandal in the public sector where firemen have to make reindeer food to pay the heating bills and judges in the High Court dress up as Disney Princesses to plug the gap in their fundings. It would … Read more
In Ireland, about 12% of schools receive a grant to provide a school lunch for its pupils in a scheme that has changed little since 1914. Recently the government started a pilot to provide hot meals to 36 schools (about 1%) In this episode I chart the history of free school lunches and see who … Read more
In this special episode, I do a live analysis of the new exemption from Irish circular that came out on 28th August 2019. I go through the changes, the effect of yet another offloading of responsibility to schools, and the expected increased workload for principals.
Of all the most baffling aspects of church involvement in education, the one that bugs me most is when a secular institution actively supports it. Not only did DCU agree to allowing Protestants a different entry route to their Teacher Training course through separate CAO points, they actually requested for it to continue in 2018. … Read more
Why has the government or any of its agencies created so few resources to help us teach the curriculum, and if they did, what should they do? Episode 23 of If I were the Minister for Education explores how the government could provide teachers and students with adequate learning resources.