Gaelscoil parents reject minister’s English directive

PARENTS of Gaelscoil pupils have given their backing to the policy of teaching no English for up to two years, despite a directive from Education Minister Mary Hanafin that schools should end the practice from next year.

Fiona Griffin said she and husband Damian were delighted with the early immersion policy at their son Gearóid’s school, where he learned no English until the second term of senior infants last January. Despite this the six-year-old has already achieved a second-class level of reading and writing in English.

“I think his progress must be something to do with being taught entirely through Irish from his first day at school,” said Ms Griffin.