An insider's guide to education

THE GRADE inflation controversy is still the main talking point across our third-level colleges.

The big question? Which colleges are unofficially “blacklisted” by the big US multinationals.

Speculation persists that big employers are reluctant to take graduates from some colleges. Identifying the colleges in question is the hot topic among academics when they gather for morning coffee.

One college entitled to some sense of grievance about the whole grade inflation controversy is NUI Maynooth, whose graduates are very highly rated by employers.

Maynooth has been utterly transformed in the past two decades – so figures tracking grade inflation over this period cast the college in an unfair light. The core strengths of the university are undermined in a new review of the college – the first of its kind – published on the website of the Irish Universities Quality Board (IUQB) last week.

The university is entitled to be chuffed with the glowing praise it receives from the international review team.

The review panel does complain – rightly – about those overcrowded lecture halls for first years. It is also right when it exhorts Maynooth (and by implication) the other universities to be much more vocal about the funding crisis in the sector.

DCU is the next university whose work will be assessed in this review. The IUQB will publish the report in June.

THERE'S ANinteresting (and growing) discussion on the boards.ie website about State support for fee-paying schools.

An online survey shows a strong majority (68 per cent) opposed to continued State support for the fee-paying sector.

According to the latest figures, the State’s subsidy to private schools totals over €100 million per annum. Most of this is used to pay the teachers in these schools.

ACROSS THEeducation sector, there is a growing belief that Fine Gael's Brian Hayes will be the next minister for Education – if there is a Fine Gael/Labour coalition.

Labour has traditionally occupied the education portfolio in government but Hayes’ experience and his constant engagement with the sector gives him the edge in any tussle for the portfolio.

That said, Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe could be in Marlborough Street for another two years.

The latest speculation is that Batt will remain in his current role after the forthcoming cabinet reshuffle. The good news for him is that the education portfolio could be widened, giving the Minister a greater role in training and employment policy.

IS THEresumption of those partnership talks good news for the teaching unions?

While the three teacher unions are delighted to be back inside the ropes, the Department of Education senses an opportunity to make long-delayed progress on contentious issues, like teacher contracts and the length of the school year. The department would like a more parent-friendly education system and the end of those irritating early school closures for staff meetings.

Last December, the teacher unions signalled their readiness to discuss these and other issues. But, with teachers angry over those pay cuts, don’t expect any progress soon.

Incidentally, can anyone remember a more low-key run-in to the annual teacher conferences over Easter?

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