STUDENTS at risk of dropping out of school and low-skilled job seekers are losing out on vital supports because of unfilled vacancies, the body representing Vocational Education Committees (VECs) has claimed.

THE vocational education sector must be expanded to help stem the flow of emigration and prepare the country for economic upturn, a conference has been told.

THE increased funding to widen services for more than 30,000 further education sector students has been put on hold because of the economic downturn.

SCHOOL leaders expressed anger at the lack of changes to procedures to protect teachers and students from misbehaving classmates, 18 months after the necessary law was passed.

Niall Murray, Education Correspondent