Crises, reforms and funding challenges: six key issues facing the next minster for education
The manifestos of the main political parties put an emphasis on boosting funding for the sector, but what will the new government be able to deliver?
Primary Level
News and advice covering the primary level education system.
‘Parents were apprehensive’: the school where ‘risky’ play is on the timetable
Some teachers believe climbing trees and other outdoor self-directed controlled risk-taking are crucial for fostering self-confidence and resilience
Autism: Why are so many children being diagnosed these days?
As many as one in 20 schoolchildren in Ireland may have autism or similar developmental issues, studies suggest
Sharp increase in autism diagnoses to require thousands of additional special needs places in schools
Official estimates point to a near doubling in proportion of children with autism in need of support at school within five years
The principal can’t sleep for worrying. If she paid all the bills on her desk, she couldn’t open the school
The top five costs for schools have nothing to do with education but just keeping the buildings heated, lighted, clean, safe and insured. And they’re increasingly unsustainable
Learning outcomes slide for Irish pupils, report finds
Education levels have stagnated or slowly declined across much of the world, says Unesco
Our Government aspires to boost education through Irish - yet student numbers have fallen for the first time in 50 years
Parents should have a right to choose Irish-medium education for their children - otherwise, the status quo will never change sufficiently to meet demand
Dozens of pupils unable to secure school places using grant for nine hours’ tuition at home
Enrolment pressure at second level most acute in Greater Dublin Area
Teacher supply crisis: ‘There are times when we’ve had no applications for vacant positions’
Recruitment challenges mean vulnerable children can end up without vital support, says principal Conor McCarthy
Thousands of children left with unqualified teachers amid staffing ‘crisis’
Primary school leaders say difficulties filling staff vacancies is having a ‘profound’ impact on the quality of education
Concern over ‘competence and confidence’ of some teachers in all-Irish schools
Minister for Education urged to ‘urgently’ release draft of long-awaited policy on Irish language education
‘It’s common knowledge teachers lie about their faith’: Is religion a barrier to getting a job as a primary teacher?
Critics say a requirement to hold a religious certificate in most national schools means many new teachers have to uphold something they don’t believe
‘Chicken curry is very popular’: What to expect on school menus as free scheme is extended
Free hot school meals programme to include all 3,000-plus primary schools from next year
Free schoolbooks extended to Leaving Cert and free meals for all primary pupils from next year
Budget 2025: Last year’s ‘one-off’ €1,000 cut to third level fees extended into the new academic year
Some Deis schools no longer qualify. This undermines the entire programme
Inequities in Irish education policy, which have been ignored for so long, will not be addressed any time soon
Students perform best with regular homework tasks of up to 15 minutes, research shows
Maynooth University study finds ‘little and often’ approach is just as effective as longer assignments
Children’s exposure to harmful online content a ‘public health crisis’, says Minister
Stronger laws may be needed to safeguard young people, according to Stephen Donnelly
John Brennan on dyslexia: ‘Society views people on how they’re doing in school’
Experts on dyslexia in Irish education say the system is failing the estimated 10%-plus of children who have the learning disorder
Parents to be surveyed on school ethos, gender mix and education through Irish or English
Some 88 per cent of primary schools are Catholic while just over 5 per cent are multidenominational
AI tools could revolutionise education but leave Gaelscoileanna behind
Irish-language schools may be faced with an impossible choice: embrace second-rate AI or forgo the potential benefits of automation
‘It’s an absolute nightmare’: Hundreds of schoolchildren with tickets told no buses available
Delays awarding contracts and driver shortages have delayed resumption of services in some areas, Bus Éireann says
After-school activities: How many is too many?
Deciding the number of activities depends on the child, who they are and how their brain works, says psychotherapist Bethan O’Riordan
Schools issued with details on policing mobile phone ban
Detailed letter from Minister for Education to school managers outlines how they can implement more ‘stringent’ policies
Teachers’ salaries in Singapore are on par with accountants and engineers. Why not here?
Government response to growing teacher shortages has been frustratingly slow and ineffective. Radical action is long overdue
Back-to-school anxiety, homework battles and lunches your kids might actually eat: advice from the classroom experts
For students moving up to second level, it is important to help foster their independence in small but significant ways
Hundreds of retired teachers set to plug gaps as schools struggle to find qualified staff
Principals say some schools are being forced to drop subjects due to shortages
Proportion of students in private education declines as more free places are created
Second-level student numbers climb to record high, with cost of fees at private schools rising
Back to school: ‘Enough about the kids, won’t someone please think of the parents?’
Jen Hogan: Back to school is a period of adjustment for us all but there are ways parents can make the transition a little easier for everyone, including themselves
More than one in four parents in debt to cover back-to-school costs
Almost one-third of those in debt owe more than €500
‘Clear reticence’ among some students to report bullying in secondary schools - report
One-third of post-primary students feel it is not safe to express themselves fully in school
Pupils’ seaweed soap business cleans up at entrepreneur awards
More than 100,000 students have participated in the Junior Entrepreneur Programme since 2010
‘This is horrendous - it’s no way to treat a child’: Parents’ anger over lack of school places in Taoiseach’s home town
All three secondary schools in Greystones, Co Wicklow are heavily oversubscribed
Parents to be polled on school preferences in bid to accelerate school choice
Almost 90 per cent of the 3,600 primary schools in the State remain Catholic in ethos
Hundreds of schools appeal ‘cuts’ to learning support hours
About 120 schools to get 1,000 additional hours after flagging inadequate support for vulnerable pupils
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