Posts tagged ‘Education’
Education: Back to school – the new year
Thursday, September 2nd, 2010The main education spokesmen put forward their priorities for 2010-2011. More stalemate over selection is likely but finance, community relations and improving standards will also feature highly. Alliance Trevor Lunn MLA It’s absolutely imperative that we focus on education in the coming months. There are a number of extremely important issues that need to be addressed as soon as possible. We need to proceed with the creation of the Education and Skills Authority. The formation of this body is vital in order to improve efficiency in our education system, and given the current pressures...[full story]
Education: Communities of discovery
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010“Counter-productive” government policy is causing problems for teachers and the entire education sector, Frank Coffield told delegates at the Learning and Skills Development Agency conference in April. After 42 years as a teacher and researcher, Coffield is concerned that teaching initiatives created by government policy makers are damaging the prospects of students at all ages. The Scottish professor is among a number of educationalists who have signed a letter sent to The Times education supplement calling for an end to government “micromanagement” of classrooms. They want...[full story]
Education: Our future depends on training
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010The economic downturn over the past few years has hit Northern Ireland hard. Some of those most affected have been young people, particularly those who are trying to find high quality training. Hundreds of apprentices have been made redundant and there is a distinct possibility that this depressing trend will continue for the foreseeable future. As the committee responsible for employment and learning, we have been monitoring this situation carefully. We have heard from a number of groups, including the Association of Northern Ireland Colleges, the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils...[full story]
Education: Teaching and technology
Friday, May 14th, 2010Education policy advisor Richard Hanna explains the importance of ICT in education and outlines ways in which schools can be more “sophisticated” in using technology to support teaching and learning. Policy makers in education have always aspired to “prepare young people for life” but the social and economic context in which they work has changed and the role of technology has become “critically important,” according to Richard Hanna. Addressing an agendaNi forum on ICT in skills and education, the CCEA’s Director of Education said that despite its importance, technology...[full story]
Education: Testing times
Monday, March 8th, 2010Since 2008, when primary school pupils sat the last official transfer test, the education sector has increasingly become embroiled in turmoil. Caitríona Ruane has insisted the exam was “out-dated and unfair” and a four-party group, excluding Sinn Féin, has called for reinstatement until a solution is agreed. agendaNi reviews the situation. “There will be no more state-sponsored testing of 10-year old children,” was the Education Minister’s latest response to the four-party 11-plus talks group, which stated, on 12 February, that a CCEA test should be used in the interim period...[full story]
Education: Testing times
Friday, January 29th, 2010Over 13,700 pupils sat the breakaway tests set by AQE and GL Assessment in November, with one exam to come on 5 December, in an attempt to gain entry to 68 schools across the province. Pupils who sat the Catholic schooldominated GL assessments navigated two multiple choice papers on 2 November while the AQE’s first two exams were on 14 and 28 November. For pupils taking the AQE exam, only their best two scores will be taken into account. Both GL Assessment papers will count. Sixty-eight schools rejected those and instead pressed ahead with academic selection. Caitríona Ruane’s guidelines...[full story]
