CCVEC will no longer be able to avoid giving answers, writes investigative correspondent Conor Ryan

ALL schools could have access to the buying power and other expertise of the education boards that will replace VECs from next year.

NO areas of education will be spared from potential cuts in the 2012 Budget, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has warned.

THE opportunity to create a greater choice of schools for parents was lost during the boom, a Catholic education leader has claimed.

The Government moratorium on filling middle-management posts in education has brought several schools to the "verge of collapse", it was claimed today.

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.

STAFFING limits have been imposed on Vocational Educational Committees (VEC) as they prepare to expand their role beyond their work in schools and further education colleges, adult education and Youthreach programmes.

THE number of VECs is to be halved under radical streamlining measures announced by the Government yesterday.

The Government has approved a revised reconfiguration of the Vocational Education Committees (VEC) system, reducing the total number of VECs from 33 to 16, it was announced today.

SCHOOLS may open earlier than planned in January to make up for days lost because of bad weather.

THE increase in student college charges — starting with an extra €500 next year — will leave thousands without a chance of higher education and force many to emigrate, according to the Union of Students in Ireland.

Thousands of students will be forced to drop out of college and emigrate if registration fees soared to €2,000 as proposed in the four-year rescue plan, it was claimed tonight.

THE Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) is set to enter talks on the Croke Park public service pay agreement after members have voted to lift industrial action in schools and colleges.

The number of Vocational Education Committees (VECs) is to be cut from 33 to 16 through the merger of existing VECs, it was announced today.

SUPPORT services for schools face major cuts but teaching jobs will be protected from the chop in December’s budget, Education Minister Mary Coughlan has indicated.

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.

PLANS to reduce the number of Vocational Education Committees (VECs) by about a third and make them more efficient will be brought to Government within three weeks by Tánaiste Mary Coughlan.

SUPPORT services for schools, colleges and education centres working with low-skilled students could come under pressure as Vocational Education Committees (VECs) have been told to cut non-teaching staff by up to 10% by the end of 2012.

Some schools are being given permission to promote teachers in order to relieve the pressure being caused by retirements.

The Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) has said Leaving Certificate students should not consider the exams their only door to the future.

IF we don’t put cash into the education system then we’re going to have to put it into the prison service, warned a school equality expert.

PLANS for an overhaul of Vocational Education Committees are to be put before the Cabinet within weeks, according to Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe.

MORE than one-in-four teenagers are dropping out from some second-level schools before the Leaving Certificate.

Michael Moriarty, general secretary of the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) today welcomed the intervention of the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) by its chief executive, Kieran Mulvey.

COURSES for adults should have been given the same protection as school funding in the budget, according to the body representing city and county Vocational Education Committees (VECs).

The body representing Vocational Educational Committees (VECs) in Ireland today said the Budget measures announced by Finance Minister Brian Lenihan yesterday "ignored" the needs of adult students.

FINE GAEL is proposing to cut the number of Vocational Education Committees (VECs) from 33 to 20 in a shake-up of services in schools, further education and youth work.

A BAN on public service recruitment is worsening the crisis facing people seeking adult education services, it was claimed yesterday.

THE body representing the country’s Vocational Education Committees (VECs) had expressed dismay that the European Court of Human Rights may have prompted the removal of the crucifix from schools.

A TEACHERS’ union has been accused by Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe of closing the door on students who it claims are being kept out of further education courses by Government limits.

The Government today called on teachers and unions to show solidarity with parents who have lost their jobs in the recession.

Schools around the country face being left with no cleaners or caretakers as those positions will not be filled under the current ban on hiring, the Irish Vocational Education Association has warned.

The body representing vocational education committees, the IVEA, has said An Bord Snip's recommendation to reduce capitation grants to schools would be "catastrophic".

THE Government should consider moving unemployed Dell workers into computer technical support for schools, according to the body representing city and county Vocational Education Committees (VECs).

ONE of the country’s top educationalists has warned that the growing number of schoolboy “fight clubs” in Ireland could lead to increased youth suicide here.

ABOUT 60,000 college students could face grant payment delays again next year because Government legislation looks unlikely to be passed in time to allow for reforms of the system.

THE average, second-level school could lose up to €20,000 in grants under education cutbacks in next year’s budget, the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) has warned.

THE budget cutbacks in education will cost vocational schools alone more than 260 teachers and a further 150 jobs could be lost in further education colleges, according to managers.

TEACHING unions have warned of impending chaos in second-level schools as a result of plans by Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe to withdraw funding for the payment of substitutes employed by principals to cover for teachers absent on school business.

THE transfer of responsibility for payment of teachers in vocational schools to the Department of Education would be firmly resisted, Vocational Education Committees (VECs) and their support staff have warned.

FURTHER cuts to education services look likely after next month’s budget as Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe hinted there would be little or no increases in spending.

THE passing of control of primary schools by the Catholic Church moved a step closer with proposals from the head of the country’s Vocational Education Committees (VECs) to facilitate such a historic handover.

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.

It has emerged a proposed new unified grant scheme for third level students will include an independent appeals board.