Latest news with #DavidWaters
Irish Independent
30-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
TUI members vote to accept senior cycle redevelopment measures
The union's executive committee had recommended acceptance as it believed the measures were the best that could be achieved through negotiations. The TUI said in a statement that it made it clear 'at all times' that the ballot was on the implementation measures and not the curriculum itself, which the Education Minister has the power to prescribe under the Education Act 'and which other stakeholders have no veto over'. TUI president David Waters said it is clear that members 'still have a range of concerns around various issues related to the redevelopment process, and we will be insisting that the Department honours the commitments set out in the negotiated document'. "We have specific concerns about the system capacity for the roll-out of the science subjects in schools that have been chronically under-resourced, the potential risks to assessment posed by AI and the additional resourcing required to ensure that no students, particularly those in DEIS settings, are put at a disadvantage by any of the changes. It is now imperative that these and any other arising issues are urgently addressed.' The union had called for a delay in the implementation of the revised Trance 2 subjects of English and accounting ahead of recent negotiations that led to the publication of the Senior Cycle Implementation Measures document. It stated that the Department will 'continue to engage regularly with the NCCA on the delivery timelines' of Tranche 2-5 subjects and 'where considered appropriate and necessary for development and/or implementation reasons, the implementation of individual subjects may be delayed from the current published schedule.' The union added that it 'once again drew attention to Ireland's shamefully low level of investment in education, which sees us spend a lower percentage of national wealth on education than any other listed OECD country'. "The education budget for 2026 will need to increase significantly to properly facilitate such significant change.'
Irish Examiner
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Teachers' Union of Ireland members vote to accept proposed Leaving Certificate reforms
Members of the Teachers' Union of Ireland have voted to accept the proposed Leaving Certificate reform package rather than take industrial action. The union recommended that its members accept the proposals put forward by the Department of Education following a series of talks earlier this year. The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) put the ballot to its members without a recommendation. Both unions had strongly opposed the Leaving Certificate reforms, set to begin in September, with teachers raising concerns around the readiness of schools to roll out the changes, along with the introduction of new project work components. In April, teaching delegates passed emergency motions at their annual congress calling for their unions to take industrial action if talks with the department failed to 'deliver an acceptable outcome". Following a vote on Friday, TUI members voted by a margin of 73% to 27% to accept the negotiated implementation measures for senior cycle redevelopment. TUI president David Waters said it is clear members still have a 'range of concerns' around various issues relating to the redevelopment process. "We will be insisting that the department honours the commitments set out in the negotiated document.' The TUI has specific concerns around system capacity for the roll-out of science subjects, the potential risks to assessment posed by AI, and the 'additional resourcing required to ensure that no students, particularly those in DEIS settings, are put at a disadvantage by any of the changes'. 'It is now imperative that these and any other arising issues are urgently addressed,' Mr Waters added. Read More Deis plan to emphasise retention of students up to Leaving Cert and beyond
RTÉ News
30-05-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
TUI members accept senior cycle redevelopment measures
Members of the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) have voted by a margin of 73% to 27% to accept negotiated implementation measures for senior cycle redevelopment. The union's executive committee had recommended acceptance, stating that it believed the measures were the best that could be achieved through negotiation. Announcing the outcome, the union said the ballot was on the acceptability of the implementation measures and not the actual curriculum, "which the Minister has the power to prescribe under the Education Act and which other stakeholders have no veto over". TUI President David Waters said, notwithstanding the vote, members continued to have concerns. '"We have specific concerns about the system capacity for the roll-out of the science subjects in schools that have been chronically under-resourced, the potential risks to assessment posed by AI and the additional resourcing required to ensure that no students, particularly those in DEIS settings, are put at a disadvantage by any of the changes. "It is now imperative that these and any other arising issues are urgently addressed", Mr Waters said.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Westwood extends deadline to buy school after voters reject development
WESTWOOD, Kan. — Westwood, Kansas voters rejected an office project in April after filing a lawsuit to force a public vote. Thursday the clock was ticking on what to do next with a deadline looming Friday. 'What do you want your legacy to be 30 years from now?' Lou Wetzel asked City Council during a special meeting. Kansas City book box company feeling the impact of federal tariffs Residents filed a lawsuit back in 2023 to to a developer who along Rainbow Boulevard that is now Joe D Dennis Park. After last month's vote rejecting the project and preserving the current park the city was still on the hook for $2.785 million to the potential developers had planned to convert portions of to a new park. 'We have been put in a very challenging position on a very interesting timeline,' Councilwoman Holly Wimer said. As Westwood faced a Friday deadline to extend the purchase agreement or walk away a third option was included in meeting materials. 'Option B that would require wiring money tomorrow if there's not already somebody lined up potentially to do that,' resident James Spies said. 'That makes no sense to me.' 'There is no boogeyman buyer,' Mayor David Waters said trying to ease fears of many of the meeting's early speakers. Commissioners approve ordinance on American Royal project Any discussion about extending the agreement, logically includes what goes in the school's place, as Shawnee Mission has already applied for permits to tear it down. 'A clear majority of Westwood residents want to see the Shawnee Mission property used for homes that actually fit our neighborhood,' neighbor Tammy Carter said. 'Westwood is unified in trying to preserve as much green space as possible,' Spies said. 'That's something we tried to address with the previous project. There may still be opportunities with this or there may be opportunities with this to finance the current park that we do have to make some improvements there,' Waters said following the unanimous vote to extend the deadline to November 28, the fourth such extension since the sale was first negotiated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Irish Examiner
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Unions to vote on Leaving Cert reform proposals after talks end
Talks aimed at easing teachers' concerns about proposed incoming changes to the Leaving Cert between the post-primary teacher unions and the education minister have concluded. Both the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) and Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) are to now put Helen McEntee's latest proposals on senior cycle reform to a vote of their members. Both unions had strongly opposed the Leaving Cert reforms, set to begin in September, with teachers raising concerns around the readiness of schools to roll out the changes, along with the introduction of new project work components. This project work, called additional assessment components (AACs), is to be worth at least 40% of a student's overall grade in a subject. Many teachers have also raised concerns around the authentication of work completed as part of these components given the rapid advancements in AI technology. Last month, teaching delegates passed emergency motions at their annual congress calling for their unions to take industrial action if this round of talks failed to 'deliver an acceptable outcome". The TUI is recommending that its members accept the negotiated proposals published on Thursday night in an upcoming ballot. The ASTI has yet to decide which way it will advise its members to vote. The union's leadership and executive committees are due to meet in the coming days to consider the proposals. On Thursday night, education minister Helen McEntee said: 'It is now a matter for the ASTI and TUI to consider this package as part of their own processes.' Proceeding with the introduction of new and revised subjects under senior cycle redevelopment in September is in the best interest of students 'It will help to reduce the pressure faced by students, while recognising a broader range of skills and ensuring that students have the skills necessary to thrive and succeed in a rapidly changing world.' Working groups The proposals include the establishment of various working groups to support the implementation of the senior cycle reform programme, including in areas related to AI, and the implementation of this agreement and workload in schools. It also includes a 'commitment' to early rapid reviews of revised subjects, including their assessment arrangements and emerging trends in student uptake levels, as well as the development of a right to disconnect policy applicable to schools. According to the TUI, the proposals also include the payment of the 3% pay increase due under the local bargaining provision of the current public service agreement for co-operation with senior cycle. The proposals on the table also include a 'rebalancing' of the "Croke Park hours" to allow for teacher-led activities related to senior xycle, as well as a shorter qualifying period of one year for teachers to attain permanency. The accelerated pace of redevelopment has led to significant concerns from TUI members, TUI president David Waters said on Thursday. The TUI executive committee has assessed the document and is recommending that members accept it, he added. 'The union believes that these proposals are the best that that could be achieved through negotiation, and that they have the potential to allay concerns expressed by teachers in terms of both workload and the resources required by schools and teachers to implement senior cycle redevelopment," he said. 'In a separate ballot, the union will seek that — in the event of the negotiated document not being accepted — members vote to engage in a campaign of industrial action, up to and including strike action.' Ballot material will be issued to TUI members next week.
