** “I’m out of practice. We’re getting back into the business of trying to do this. It’s very difficult to adjust these kinds of things, you’re dealing with calculations and assumptions.
“We make mistakes, we get things wrong, all of us. And I think the first thing to do is to put your hand up and say, yes, perhaps let’s look at that again. That is what we’re doing.”
That extraordinary interview by Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn on cuts to disadvantaged, or DEIS, schools is the talk of education.
On Morning IrelandQuinn admitted the announcement of cuts to resources for schools in disadvantaged areas was a mistake.
The debacle has been damaging for Quinn but he is entitled to raise questions about the behaviour of some Cabinet colleagues, notably Pat Rabbitte who lobbied against the cuts.
Quinn was left wondering about that old-fashioned concept of collective Cabinet responsibility last week – and about his long history with Rabbitte, who he welcomed into the Labour fold all those years ago.
Of course, the entire controversy could have been avoided if the Cabinet had agreed Quinn’s original plan to increase class size; this was vetoed by a Cabinet sub-committee. As a result, Quinn claims he had little alternative but to target the legacy posts in DEIS schools.
And the spoils of victory?
These belong to the INTO lobbying machine. Credit also to Labour backbenchers including Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and John Lyons who put the pressure on Quinn.
** THERE WAS fury and dismay among university heads after they received notice of their allocation for 2012 from the Higher Education Authority last week.
While a tolerable 2 per cent was signalled in the Budget, most colleges face a real cutback of up to 10 per cent. The seven university presidents – who failed to make their voice heard in the pre-Budget fees debate – will consider their next step at a meeting later this month.
There is already some loose talk about a cap on student numbers and other radical measures.
Are the university presidents – who have taken so much for so long – ready to fight back?
Watch this space!
** THE MOST talked about education article this year?
Step forward Chris McGreal of the Guardianwhose recent piece on how police are patrolling US schools has become something of a sensation on Twitter.
The article focused on a school in Austin, Texas, one of hundreds in the state which has its own police force with officers in uniform who carry guns to keep order in the canteens, playgrounds and lessons.
McGreal reported how each day, hundreds of schoolchildren appear before courts in Texas charged with offences such as swearing, misbehaving on the school bus or getting into a punch-up in the playground. Children have been arrested for possessing cigarettes, wearing “inappropriate” clothes and being late for school.
You could not make this stuff up. Thankfully, it could never happen here – or could it?
** APPOINTMENTS news. Interviews were held on Friday and again yesterday for the post of secretary general in the Department of Education. There were over 30 applicants including several assistant secretaries at the Department and Anne Looney, chief executive of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the chief architect of the “new” Junior Cert.
HEA boss Tom Boland is also in the shake up for the post.
But one of the favourites, assistant secretary Kevin McCarthy, did not apply.
Got any education gossip? Email sflynn@irishtimes.com or teacherspet@irishtimes.com
