Greetings and warm welcome to our latest issue of Classroom Central digest. In this installment, we delve into the career prospects linked with the Irish language; recent data from the Central Applications Office (CAO) reveals an uptake in applications for high-points courses such as veterinary science, dentistry, and pharmacy this year; A spotlight article details the journey of a maths genius with a fascination for the abacus since childhood; Each primary school is set to receive complimentary coding kits and instructional materials; The school curriculum now includes sex education for younger students; and an overview on how the free textbooks programme would function, beneficial to Junior Cycle pupils.
The Irish language is now playing a prominent role in both national and European administrative systems, opening up new professional avenues. We dive deeper into the Irish language career opportunities in this issue.
The 2024 CAO data showcases an increase in applications for high-points disciplines such as veterinary science, dentistry, and pharmacy, as per the latest figures.
Engaging in an intriguing childhood reminiscence, Fionn Kimber O’Shea, a 19-year-old based in Cork, recounts his drawn interest in the abacus since kindergarten, a fascination that has led him to excel in the Irish Maths Olympiad, coming out on top for the third consecutive year.
EDTips has come forth with the initiative to equip every primary school with essential digital technology teaching resources, in view of next year’s introduction of the primary curriculum framework.
The novel primary school curriculum and what it signifies for children is the pivotal change: Young learners will be devoting more study time to foreign languages, science, and technology, while religious studies will take a backseat.
‘The widespread discontent’: Disabled students perceive they’re being disregarded: The pandemic age was transformative for sensitive learners who could attend online lectures and unique assessment – however, several report feeling overlooked once more.
The updated primary school agenda now includes sex education to be instructed at a younger age, marking the largest revamp in primary education in a quarter of a century.
Under the newly-developed transition year, teenagers will be granted lessons on empathy, with a programme backed by Cillian Murphy that promotes care and understanding of others.
According to Norma Foley, the Minister for Education, the new programme for providing free schoolbooks, set to begin from the forthcoming September, will enable parents of Junior Cycle students to make an annual saving of more than €300.