4+ hour, 7+ min ago (711+ words) A French student who received "abusive and incessant" demands from his landlord to pay a 17-page-long invoice for "additional charges", including use of the dining table for studying, has been awarded "7,000 in damages. Laurent Stacchetti, who came to Ireland to study at Maynooth University, agreed to rent a room from Gabriela Hennigan and Michael Hennigan for "850 per month in 2023. He believed the house in Clonsilla, Dublin 15, would be shared with other students, though the couple, who were primarily based in Poland, opted to rent out the other rooms on Airbnb after a lack of interest from other students. It was agreed Mr Stacchetti, who lived at the property with the couple's daughter, would not have to pay for certain utilities in exchange for carrying out some Airbnb-related tasks. However, messages and calls from Ms Hennigan requesting him to carry out…...

2+ day, 4+ hour ago (468+ words) The religious education syllabus in Northern Ireland is to be reformed in the wake of a UK supreme court judgment which found the exclusively Christian teaching and collective worship in schools was unlawful. Last week, the court upheld a 2022 ruling by the High Court in Belfast that religious education and Christian worship were not conveyed in an "objective, critical and pluralistic manner" and therefore breached the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). A child, known as JR87, and her father sought a judicial review after she took part in non-denominational Christian religious education and collective worship as part of the curriculum at a controlled primary school " a common form of state-funded school " in Belfast. Her parents "did not wish her to be taught that Christianity was an absolute truth" and wrote to the school in 2019 voicing concerns that their daughter's education…...

3+ day, 4+ hour ago (408+ words) A teacher who deceived her colleagues out of more than "2,000 in an elaborate hoax has had her name removed from the register of teachers by order of the High Court. Mr Justice David Barniville this week confirmed the sanction of the Teaching Council and ordered that the woman be prohibited from applying to be put back on the register for another five years. The teacher, school and victims cannot be identified by order of the court. The Teaching Council disciplinary panel found a number of the allegations proven as fact, and amounted to professional misconduct. The panel labelled the teacher's conduct as disgraceful, and said she had exploited her colleagues with a deception that was elaborate and carefully planned. Opening the Teaching Council's application, barrister Brian Gageby told the court that in 2021 the teacher's colleagues, two special needs assistants (SNAs)…...

3+ day, 7+ hour ago (377+ words) Advice from teachers and parents, while helpful, is sometimes not as well received as advice from those who have been through the Leaving Certificate a little more recently. With that in mind, we speak to three former Leaving Certificate students about how they achieved their goals, managed their time and what they wished somebody had shared with them. "I've always learned best through doing rather than memorising. In secondary school, I chose subjects like technology, agricultural science, history and geography " subjects with project components " as the hands-on aspects kept me motivated. "Sitting down to study theory or memorise material was something that developed over time for me and one thing that really helped was taking the initiative to just sit down and get started " once I made that first move to open the laptop or go to the library everything…...

3+ day, 18+ hour ago (482+ words) Ireland's employment landscape is shifting as high-growth sectors continue to outpace the traditional graduate talent pipeline. In response, many US multinationals operating here are turning to apprenticeships, return-to-work programmes and accelerated training pathways to fill critical roles in areas such as cloud computing, cybersecurity and biopharma operations. "Together, they are designing online and blended micro-credentials, internships, return-to-work programmes and apprenticeships that align learning outcomes directly with workplace competencies," says Fitzpatrick. "This approach ensures that candidates are job-ready in three to nine months, with training mapped to live toolchains rather than broad academic syllabi." Employers also favour "earn and learn" models, which spread costs over time and reduce the risk of mis-hiring compared to competing for fully formed senior talent. "Meanwhile, "returnships' and mid-career reskilling programmes are opening doors for career-break returners and career-changers, improving representation in critical teams," Fitzpatrick continues....

4+ day, 8+ hour ago (541+ words) Actor Olwen Fou'r' has turned down an honorary doctorate from the University of Galway due to an "extremely problematic" contract linking the college to Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology. The 71-year-old actor, who was born in Galway to French parents, has performed many celebrated roles in theatre, films and television including appearances on The Crown and Derry Girls. Ms Fou'r' was due to receive the honorary degree at a ceremony on Thursday but has declined over the university's links to the Israeli college and her opposition to Israel's military offensive in Gaza. In a statement issued on Wednesday, she said she was initially "overjoyed" to be offered the doctorate but after "a great deal of thought" felt obliged to refuse it. Ms Fou'r' said many staff and students have called for the university to cut all ties with Israeli…...

5+ day, 17+ hour ago (326+ words) Should my child consider a career in nursing or midwifery? For students with the aptitude, curiosity and compassion, these professions offer the chance to make a real difference, along with a recognised degree and clear career pathways. Nursing and midwifery undergraduate programmes are four-year Bachelor of Science (BSc Hons, Level 8) degrees, accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). These programmes meet European standards, which means graduates can work across Ireland and abroad, offering true mobility in their careers. Programmes are carefully structured to balance theory and clinical practice. Half of the programme is delivered through university-based teaching, while the other half takes place in practice across hospital and community settings. During placements, students are supported by preceptors and clinical-placement coordinators who guide their professional development. In the final year, students complete a 36-week paid internship that consolidates…...

5+ day, 17+ hour ago (819+ words) The Government is about to begin a national conversation on the future of education. Education offers our greatest hope for responding meaningfully to the great issues of our time. It is vital we have a rich and diverse conversation that gives citizens the space to reflect and talk openly about what education is for and our aspirations for its future. Some years ago, I was invited to a conference, A More Creative Education System, at the Burren College of Art. Typically I find conferences to be exhausting affairs, with marathon sessions in windowless basements, everyone on their phones, and tea from urns that taste of stale coffee. But a trip to Ballyvaughan offered something different: a creative process involving people from all corners of the Irish education system (teachers, students, parents, academics, the Department of Education, principals, unions, and policy…...

6+ day, 17+ hour ago (680+ words) Our grandparents long talked about the merits of the "great outdoors" and, whatever the weather, children were encouraged (or ordered) to play outside, enjoy the fresh air and learn about the world around them. But as far as education went, classes were firmly inside at a desk, with schoolwork followed to the letter. Of course, there were some exceptions and as a child I have fond memories of teachers suddenly announcing class time outside or nature walks in the local environs, but this was only during spells of fine weather and once the clouds returned, so too, did the confines of the classroom. But times are changing and there is now a network of forest schools across Ireland where children can engage in learning activities in the outdoor environment, a practice which organisers and parents alike say not only helps…...

1+ week, 6+ hour ago (628+ words) We're officially in parent-teacher meeting season. It runs roughly from October until around March. Or at least it does in this house. Though that may just be because I have a ridiculous number of children. But sure look, we'll run with that. But one thing remains a constant. And it's true of both the primary school and secondary school experience. The single most annoying thing about parent-teacher meetings is the parents who hog the teacher. Parent-teacher meetings are a learning space. A place for us to discover how our children are getting on at school, academically and socially. We all like to think we know already, and sometimes we do. But perhaps our natural bias towards our children can make it difficult to hear what a teacher wants to say to parents. So how do some teachers get around this?...