Ministers of Irish Education Essay

1. Since the foundation of the Irish Free State (1922) to the present day at that place fork over been 37 different ministers for tuition. Identify at least 4 of those ministers for education which you consider most earthshaking. Critically evaluate the contribution they vie in reforming the Irish Education Landscape. (50Marks) Today I depart looked at 4 Irish curates of Education John OSulllivan, Thomas Derrig, Donagh OMalley and Ruairi Quinn and portray how I desire they contributed (and are contributing) tremendously to the reform the Irish Education Landscape 1. John M. OSullivan (Jan. 1926 Mar.1932) OSullivan was appointed to the console table in 1926, serving below W. T. Cosgrave as Minister for Education. In 1926 a report from the Second National Programme Conference was presented to him as the Minister for Education. He accepted all proposals stated in the report to be recommended as a national curriculum. In 1926, he made Irish obligatory for registration as a Se condary School instructor & for recognised (funded) cultivates. In 1926 under OSullivan, the School Attendance exertion came into existence. It made it obligatory for all children between the age of 6 and 14 would attend school.OSullivan is as well responsible for Establishing the Commission on technical Education in 1927 Setting up the Preparatory Colleges to train sourcehand teachers in 1927 Introducing the Primary Certificate in 1929 As it became clear that many could non access suitable second aim education discussions began on creating a continuation course to provide general education in a vocational style. The Vocational Education Act, 1930 was implemented by OSullivan. It reformed the technical education branch of the Department of Education and local anaesthetic Technical Education Boards.It introduced vocational schools, a cutting type of school with a greater emphasis on trade and commerce in courses. These courses were broken into continuation courses and trad itional technical education courses. There were those who considered the transcription revolutionary and in that location were warnings of danger to faith and morals which could arise in the new multi denominational and co-educational schools to be provided. This was the states head start attack to take an fighting(a) hand in establishing schools byside the indicant of the papist Catholic Church.The Vocational Education Act was thee major ministerial motion of the Minister. The act provided an avenue for a new approach to post immemorial education and to the introduction of the concept of education as a womb-to-tomb process. Here then was a new system which set out to educate through the medium of subjects themselves directly related to the world of work. It was non easily accepted. Education was regarded as the pursuit of abstract cultivation and the posture of the educated person was almost in direct ratio to his/her unfitness to work with his/her hands.Even in today s society, there is a still some stigmatism attached to attending a VEC school. However in reality such schools contribute so much to todays society and as such Today we sire 213 VEC second level schools and many further education, youthreach, traveller and prison education centres a will to OSullivans rein. 2. Thomas Derrig (Mar. 1932 Sep. 1939) At the June 1927 general option he was elected to Dail Eireann as a Fianna Fail TD for CarlowKilkenny. In Eamon de Valeras first government in 1932 Derrig was appointed Minister for Education.Derrig has been influential in cultivating of our education system but not in a positive centering Derrig initiated a review of industrial and reformatory schools and the rules under the Children Act 1908, resulting in the critical 1936 Cussen topic, which he shelved. His lack of action was noted in 2009 when the Ryan Report examined the subsequent management of these residential institutions Derrig was the first minister to seek a report that c ould have resulted in much-needed reforms. A call for public head into industrial schools was rejected by Minister of Education. Thomas Derrig because it would serve no useful purpose.It has been suggested that he did not want to follow British law reforms in the 1920s and 1930s because of his strong anti-British views, and that Irish children had suffered needlessly as a result. Under Derrigs rein, he not exactly effect teacher salaries, but likewise banned hook up with womanly teachers from working. According to Diarmaid Ferriter (2004) in his book The Transformation of Ireland 1900 2000, the marriage ban enforce on female primary teachers from 1934 to 1958 seemed to attract little public comment, notwithstanding the fact that many untrained single teachers were replacing trained married female teachers.The INTO was not vocal in objecting on the basis of sex equality, and whatever opposition existed in the union was overshadowed by its campaigns on salary levels. This was a sign of the times in my opinion, where women had very little power or voice. It is probably only in the past few decades that this give-up the ghost to ban female teachers has really been viewed as scandalous and backwards. While the easing of Europe moved forward with education reform after human race War Two, Derrig resisted such reviews. Derrigs narrow mindedness live us academically and for so many young innocent children physically and emotionally.3. Donogh OMalley (July 1966 Mar. 1968) hobby Fianna Fails return to government following the 1965 general election OMalley joined the cabinet as Minister for Health. He worn out(p) just over one year in this position to begin with he was appointed Minister for Education, a position where he will be forever remembered for his dynamism as a minister. Having succeeded another participating young minister, Patrick Hillary, OMalley acted swiftly to introduce the recommendations that were made in an prescribed report regardi ng education.Shortly after he was appointed he announce that from 1969 all schools up to Intermediate Certificate level would be guiltless and that freehanded buses would bring students from rural area to the nearest school. OMalley seems to have made this decision himself without consulting other ministers, however, he did discuss it with Lemass. Jack Lynch, who as Minister for Finance had to find the money to pay for it, was certainly not consulted and was dismayed at the announcement. In spite of this OMalleys proposals were hugely popular with the public and it was impossible for the government to go back on its word.As minister OMalley also extended the school go scheme and commissioned the building of new non-denominational comprehensive and community schools in areas where they were lacking. He also introduced Regional Technical Colleges (RTCs), now called Institutes of Technology, in areas where there was no third level college in proximity. The best example of this flo urishing policy is Limerick, now a university, where OMalley is credited with taking the travel to ensure the university came into existence.His plan to merge Trinity College, Dublin and University College Dublin activated huge controversy and was not successful, despite being supported by his cabinet colleague Brian Lenihan. Access to third level education was also extended as the old scholarship system was replaced by a system of means-tested grants which gave easier access to less well-off students. Because of OMalley, the working partition and middle class of Ireland are far better. Four decades on from the mid-sixties and we have a 4 fold increase in storage rates, with 82% retention of students to Leaving Cert.However I argue the grimness of the grants system that he hoped put in place. As Niamh Bhreathnach commented in the Irish Independent in September 2002, OMalley would be turning in his grave if he knew how the grants system was been exploited at that time. As the st udents of Ireland date to hold onto the grants system as we know it, I personally quality its a pity that OMalley didnt introduce a student loan system like Englands system. It certainly would cost the Irish Taxpayer less. 4. Ruairi Quinn (2011 Present) Whilst still in office, I believe that R.Quinn has and will fall out to significantly contribute in the reforming the Irish Education Landscape. Within one year, Ruairi Quinn has shown how an energetic Minister can drive the education agenda and raise up for change. In April 2012 the report on The Forum on Patronage and Pluralism was published. In the Primary Sector, The fact that 96% of primary schools in Ireland are under denominational patronage is unique among developed countries. The group has advised that the first phase in divesting schools should involve 258 schools in 18 dioceses across 47 areas.How the Minister will carry out this task remains to be seen. However he is determined to carry this out and I believe as such it will be one of the most significant changes in our educational landscape since OMalleys introduction of free schooling. The 8 subject Junior Certificate currently being introduced by Quinn will change the landscape of learning for our students. I hope that with this introduction, I can as a teacher continue to use active learning activities in the classroom and concentrate on lifelong learning rather than the system of rote learning that exists at the minute.The minister also denote in May 2012 that Chinese will suit a subject in the Leaving Certificate and he also announced an optional short course on Chinese language and enculturation which will be made available as part of the new Junior Cert cycle programme from 2014. As Quinns ministry continues to push on with the ideology of a 2 year teaching course, I am glad I am completing this course in 2012 and not in 2014. While I understand the ideology of this move, I do not believe it will improve teaching standards in Ireland .I believe that scholar students (regardless of their vocation) will look at the time it takes to become a teacher and the monetary rewards of it (which unfortunately is on the decrease) and the fact they could have for instance a medical degree in the same centre of time with brighter economic aspirations. It is my sincere hope that such visions do not come through. Today I have looked at 4 Irish Ministers of Education John OSulllivan, Thomas Derrig, Donagh OMalley and Ruairi Quinn and I sincerely believe they contributed (and are contributing) hugely to the reform the Irish Education Landscape.