Minister Ruairi Quinn to Address Irish Second-Level Students' Union AGM
Minister Ruairi Quinn to Address Irish Second-Level Students' Union AGM
The Annual General Meeting of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union is taking place this Wednesday March 27th; from 11am until 4pm, in the Clocktower Building, Dept. Of Education and Skills, Marlborough Street, Dublin1. Second-level students from across the country will meet together to discuss issue which affect them, with a particular focus this year on bullying in schools. Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn will deliver the keynote address at 3pm, and former governor of Mountjoy will address delegates about tackling bullying in schools at 2:40pm.ISSU President and Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh student, Dylan Grace said; ‘When students are consulted on matters affecting them, the conversation changes. We have seen over the past year, that nodding to student voice is ineffective and is a barrier to real change, and engaging with the student voice leads to a better education system for everyone. The ISSU has now proven than we can and should be trusted as a partner in education and achieving this is a key goal for our organisation. I am delighted that Minister Ruairi Quinn will address today’s AGM, and hope that he recognises the importance of engaging with students in a meaningful way in all aspects of second-level education reform.’
Minister Quinn welcomes Second Level Students’ Union proposals on naming the reformed junior cycle awards
Ruairi Quinn, T.D., Minister for Education and Skills today thanked the Irish Second Level Student’s Union for their report entitled “Naming the Reformed Junior Cycle”.Commenting on the report, the Minister said “I warmly welcome the effort that has been committed to this project by the ISSU. Their use of text messaging, social media, email and consultation sessions to engage students on the topic has set an excellent example for creating dialogue with the students themselves.”The report is being published on the Department’s website www.education.ie, and is being forwarded to education stakeholders for further discussion.The report includes a number of potential names for the reformed junior cycle, including STARS (School-based, Teacher-led Assessment and Reporting System) and ICA (Irish Comprehensive Assessment).The report shows that students strongly welcome the proposed reforms and particularly the emphasis on active learning and the changed approach to assessment. One participant in the consultation stated “I think it will prepare students for life after the exams, instead of just for the exams”.In welcoming the report, Minister Quinn said “Young people are uniquely placed to take the lead in redesigning their learning. It is precisely this engagement and enthusiasm for self directed learning which we are trying to promote in the reforms, developing important skills which will serve throughout life”.