CHILDREN with special needs, living in disadvantaged areas or from non-English speaking backgrounds will be the big winners from the extra €740 million secured for next year’s spending by the Department of Education.

AN EXTRA 400 primary teaching posts will be created over the next two years to help reduce class sizes, Education Minister Mary Hanafin promised yesterday.

POOR school funding and Government inaction have been blamed for half of students dropping out of some schools before completing their Leaving Certificate.

Niall Murray Education Correspondent

IRISH should not be compulsory at Leaving Certificate level because thousands of students who do badly in it take an extra subject to make up points for college, a parents group said last night.

THE cap on places on Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses must be removed to give disadvantaged students a chance to continue their education.