The announcement today [After consulting her advisers? – Ed] by the Northern Ireland Education Minister, Sinn Féin’s Caitríona Ruane, of the new detailed policies guidance for schools heralds the start of an era of de-regulation of the post-primary transfer system. And, as Mark Devenport suggests in the opening discussion on Stormont Live, it also signals the failure of regional government the semi-accountable, and semi-detached, polit-bureau here. Pete Baker
As the Northern Ireland Education Minister, Sinn Féin’s Caitríona Ruane, prepares to produce detailed policies guidelines, and with all Catholic grammars reported to be set on ignoring any such guidelines, on the Politics Show today, Michelle Marken, a former head of a Catholic secondary school, on the default deregulation of post-primary transfer ahead. The lesson for today, once again, nature abhors a vacuum.. Jim Fitzpatrick has more here. After their five-month standoff ended in December, the DUP and Sinn Fein …
On the front page of today’s Irish News is the story Sinn Fein’s Education Minister has fought long and hard to prevent from coming to pass: All Catholic grammar schools are set to hold new entrance tests in place of the 11-plus after the executive failed to agree to proposals to ban academic selection. A total of 25 Catholic schools, including the Newry grammar that Caitriona Ruane sent one of her daughters to, are expected within days to match plans …
With the semi-accountable, and semi-detached, polit-bureau unable, or unwilling, to agree to place certain dishonourably leaked confidential papers on the agenda for today’s Northern Ireland Executive meeting, one of the two Ministers involved was always likely to have something to say. As it was Gregory Campbell had another appointment, and so the NI Education Minister, Sinn Féin’s Caitríona Ruane, emerged from the meeting to blame the DUP – despite the fact that, as Mark Devenport puts it, “in truth the …
According to a BBC report, those “dishonourable persons” who leaked confidential Northern Ireland Executive papers on post-primary transfer arrangements and on the axing of the Maze stadium proposal may have been premature.. in that those issues may not appear on the agenda of today’s Executive meeting. From the BBC report On Wednesday night, it appeared that Sinn Féin and the DUP could not agree on whether to put the matter to a vote. There also appears to be no agreement …
When the Education Minister is getting flack from the Andersonstown News you know she’s in trouble. As John O’Dowd has pointed out, the proposal she is laying in front of the Executive Committee on Thursday is substantially the same as she brought forward nearly a year ago – an indication, perhaps, that the widely toured ‘consultation’ has had little effect on the development of the policy. Malachi O’Doherty, a fan of non selection, is blunt: “The case against academic selection …
I had suggested it might be time for another educational set-piece.. Today the DUP’s Mervyn Storey and Sinn Féin’s John O’Dowd duly obliged – their re-appearance on Stormont Live is below the fold along with an interesting contribution from the UUP’s Basil McCrea. The occasion was a leaked memo from the Northern Ireland Education Minister, Sinn Féin’s Caitríona Ruane, ahead of Thursday’s scheduled NI Executive meeting. For starters though, a copy of the leaked document ended up with BBC NI …
I never experienced first hand the hand of the Christian Brothers; though our history teacher used to enjoy regaling us with stories of the rough justice uncompromisingly handed out to the boys of the Falls Road… Pol thinks we should spare them the hysterical stereotypical treatment: Some commentators argue that the ethos of the Christian Brothers was very nationalistic — for which you can read that they were too pro-republican. Nothing could have been further from the truth in my …
Having previously tried to corrall the more independently minded Catholic grammar schools, Bishop Donal McKeown is now expressing sympathy with those who wish to collaborate on a single post-primary transfer test. He has spoken of the vacuum before.. From the BBC report. Bishop McKeown, who is chairman of the Northern Ireland Commision for Catholic Education, said those in education were “faced with a failure of the political system to deliver a workable way of transferring pupils from primary to post-primary”. …
The number of grammar schools publicly stating their willingness to use their own academic selection tests, if the Education Minister, Sinn Féin’s Caitríona Ruane [now under (formerly?) friendly fire? – Ed], allows the de-regulation by default of the Northern Ireland post-primary transfer process, is growing. Earlier today the principal of Londonderry’s Thornhill College was reported saying, “We’ll take this step only in the absence of a regulated system.” By this evening at least a further 4 schools, identified on BBC …
Northern Ireland Enterprise Minister, the DUP’s Arlene Foster, has introduced television presenter Iain Stewart at a lecture on Geoscience at Methodist College, Belfast. Perhaps she will also introduce Professor Stewart, for it is he, to her party colleague, the NI Environment Minister.. Just a thought.. Pete Baker
With the main consultation having ended on 10 January, and only a specific consultation for children and young people due to end on 30 January 2009, it seems a bit late in the day for Máirtín, and the Andersonstown News, to be campaigning against the recommendations for Irish-medium Units and Streams [pdf file, Chapter 13] within English-medium schools. The Andersonstown News editorial noted by Máirtín highlights the party political dilemma. The struggle of Irish people to be able to conduct …
BBC NI political editor, Mark Devenport, sums up the appearance in the Assembly today by the Northern Ireland Education Minister, Sinn Féin’s Caitríona Ruane – “There was some feisty exchanges.. but on terms of the substance of the matter.. nothing there.” Pete Baker
With the Northern Ireland Assembly due to debate a motion on rural school closures in the absence of a Sustainable Schools policy the NI Education Minister, Sinn Féin’s Caitríona Ruane has apparently decided to publish the final draft of that policy. Adds Policy document available here. [direct link to pdf file here] The new policy criteria includes the following: Ideally a primary school should have at least seven classrooms (one for each year group). The minimum (“not optimal”) enrolment for …
Trinity College Dublin already has an Irish School of Ecumenics – “Committed to applied research at the intersection of politics, theology and religion” – which, as previously noted, seeks to influence public policy.. And now, as the Irish Times reports, the Jesuit-controlled Milltown Institute – with courses in theology, philosophy and spirituality [A supernatural degree? – Ed] – is in talks with Trinity to establish a Catholic institute of theology at the University. University College Dublin, which emerged from the …
It didn’t make it into the minsterial press release which accompanied Caitriona Ruane’s visit to St Colm’s High School Twinbrook yesterday, in her official capacity as Northern Ireland Education Minister, but BBC political editor Mark Devenport informs us that During a lengthy speech she expressed sadness that the film about the Irish Civil War “The Wind That Shakes The Barley” had drawn criticism. Exhorting the pupils to do their best, she said people should be thankful to Bobby Sands for …
Last week the Belfast Telegraph mentioned the end of the evaluation of the Pupil Profiles pilot scheme and the BBC now reports on the outcome. Almost exactly three years after I first referenced them on Slugger, Pupil Profiles are to be scrapped re-profiled.. From the BBC report However, the latest report on the pilot scheme has criticised both the computer technology and the lack of information in the reports. Parents described them as “bland, impersonal, vague and too politically correct.” …
Okay, I’m sorry this took so long. David Cameron’s Office had it back to us promptly on Tuesday, but with so many other things happening in the last few days, I didn’t get time to upload it with my technically challenged skill set. Also, now the hype’s blown over, I’m hoping for a more reasoned exchange on the material and matters arising from it. You’ll find the three questions from our readers below the fold that the UK Leader of …
Anyone thinking they had spotted a possible thawing of positions in the polit-bureau over academic selection may have to think again. On Stormont Live, after the initial opening gambits [also below the fold], the DUP’s Mervyn Storey and Sinn Féin’s John O’Dowd resumed their customary positions on opposite sides of the barricade [and the Minister? – Ed] Playtime’s over. Those opening gambits. Pete Baker
A different sort of extra-curricular post tonight, rather than looking to the skies this one involves looking into the ocean depths.. a mile and a half down in the Gulf of Mexico, where there still be monsters.. Like this giant elbowed squid, the rarely-seen Magnapinna. This is a still from a short video clip on the National Geographic website, as noted by the Professor. Pete Baker
