Chatterbox

Áine Hyland’s report

An actually-radical government-commissioned report out today by Dr Áine Hyland begins a process that should end the "points race" forever... The report also helps to unravel a lingering mystery, namely why our "elders" have made such a comprehensive balls of every single thing in every area of Irish public life since their "elders" did the same thing before them and so on and so forth? Turns out – wait for it – the people who get on in Ireland are people who can retain knowledge but are all too often not very knowledgeable. – Broadsheet.ie.

At least people are starting to talk about this at the top level.. .lets see if it gets any changes through in the next five years – halcyon days, comment Broadsheet.ie

Spot on. Start with getting the teaching of as many subjects as possible right. Then worry about how to treat and measure the results – Frilly Keane, comment Broadsheet.ie

Sounds like were heading into a system where people are born into good jobs and the rest of us are born to be truck drivers and shop assistants.... – IrelandGuy, comment Broadsheet.ie

Irish universities drop in the world rankings

Is there not a point where above which these rankings don't matter and below which you don't. — Vincent, politics.ie.

Dept of Education "pleased" that Irish unis in top 300. next year they'll be delighted to see them in top 400 – Bentonra, Twitter.com

No surprise here... Among the best paid educators in the world in a system which is free to all... Where else but down would they go in the rankings? And they'll continue to plummet for as long as we pay too much and don't re-introduce 3rd level fees... Simple as. — Spanner Island, politics.ie

So we can argue about the construction of the different rankings. And there will always be malcontents (like me) who say they are nonsense. To which the usual response is "yeah guv, but they matter to the kids on the street" or, more precisely, to the Chinese students we are trying to attract because we need the dosh. — kevin denny, comment irisheconomy.ie

Religious education in schools

The right to a religious education must imply a right not to have a religious education, just as the right to join a union implys the right not to join a union. It is not possible to provide a religious education and allow a right not to have a religious education unless religous indoctrination is taught outside core school hours – Thekinghasnoclothes, politics.ie

And what for those who have no interest in their children learning Irish, does the same thinking apply? – LOCALHERO, politics.ie

Is there a constitutional right to withdraw children from instruction in Irish? No. There is a constitutional right to withdraw children from religious instruction. – sondage faux, politics.ie

It is terribly sad so many people cannot recognise that a desire to educate rather than indoctrinate is not anti-religious at all – Colmogorman, Twitter

When the state takes the schools all middle class grandees will come crawling back to the catholic schools – Rareauldfool, Twitter

Religious groups bought land, built schools and parents sent their children. I know of a lay-man in Abbeyfeale who did same. YOU doit – tnteacherTim, Twitter