The paperwork on Minister for Education and Science Michael Woods' desk must be sky high. Will he clear his desk before summer's end? Unlikely, observers say. Although many delays have occurred because of the ASTI strike, educators will not let the Minister off the hook. Much of the agenda could and should have been expedited by now, they say.
Take the third-level grants situation. Last September, the Minister increased the full maintenance grant to £2,000 (up from £1,775) for targeted disadvantaged students. Since then, we've heard very little and have been awaiting the report of the action group on access to third-level education.
It is understood that this report has been on the Minister's desk since early February.
"It should have been launched so that the mechanism could be put in place to deal with the issues," a source said. "As it is, we are going into another season with no increase in the grant."
In January, the Minister established the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology under the chairmanship of TCD's outgoing provost, Dr Tom Mitchell. Until a council is appointed, there will be no research grants available.
Educators are also awaiting the establishment of the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) and the Higher Education Awards Council (HEAC) under the terms of the National Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999. The schools' sector also awaits the establishment of the promised Commission on Teaching and the implementation of the Education Welfare Act.
Meanwhile, two new reports - on autism and the allocation of staffing in second-level schools - are due. Publication of these, and action, is anxiously awaited by the parents of autistic children and teachers, principals and boards of management.
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