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Teacher training summer school cancelled over costs | Teacher training summer school cancelled over costs |
(about 9 hours later) | |
A major summer school that helped to train teachers has been cancelled by Northern Ireland's Education Authority (EA) due to a lack of funding. | A major summer school that helped to train teachers has been cancelled by Northern Ireland's Education Authority (EA) due to a lack of funding. |
About 2,000 teachers attended the Regional Training Unit's (RTU) summer school each year. | About 2,000 teachers attended the Regional Training Unit's (RTU) summer school each year. |
The summer school had been running for more than a decade, and this year's event was due to take place on 18-19 August. | The summer school had been running for more than a decade, and this year's event was due to take place on 18-19 August. |
An EA spokesperson said it cost £50,000 to run in 2014. | An EA spokesperson said it cost £50,000 to run in 2014. |
The RTU's budget has also been cut by 25%, from £1.2m in 2014/15 to £893,000 for the coming school year. | |
Teachers continue to train and develop their skills when they are in a job, a process known as continuing professional development. | Teachers continue to train and develop their skills when they are in a job, a process known as continuing professional development. |
Teaching techniques | Teaching techniques |
The RTU summer school was particularly popular as teachers could get training without having to arrange for other colleagues to cover their absence from school during term time. | The RTU summer school was particularly popular as teachers could get training without having to arrange for other colleagues to cover their absence from school during term time. |
During the school, they learned from experts in a range of areas, and shared teaching techniques they could then use in the classroom. | During the school, they learned from experts in a range of areas, and shared teaching techniques they could then use in the classroom. |
A number of teachers said that what they learned in the summer often had a major impact on how they taught pupils. | A number of teachers said that what they learned in the summer often had a major impact on how they taught pupils. |
A group are now trying to organise their own training school to fill the gap left by the cancellation. | A group are now trying to organise their own training school to fill the gap left by the cancellation. |
They plan to run 'NI Ed Camp' on 18 August in Stranmillis College in Belfast. | They plan to run 'NI Ed Camp' on 18 August in Stranmillis College in Belfast. |
Daithi Murray, a senior teacher at St Paul's High School in Bessbrook, County Armagh, is one of those involved. | Daithi Murray, a senior teacher at St Paul's High School in Bessbrook, County Armagh, is one of those involved. |
"We're educating children who are going to live in a society that we can't even imagine," he said. | "We're educating children who are going to live in a society that we can't even imagine," he said. |
"So teachers, using their own summer holidays to invest in their own professional development, is something that we can't take lightly and just allow to disappear." | "So teachers, using their own summer holidays to invest in their own professional development, is something that we can't take lightly and just allow to disappear." |
In a statement, the Education Authority said that "the decision to cancel the summer school was based on the reduced financial allocation for 2015-16". | In a statement, the Education Authority said that "the decision to cancel the summer school was based on the reduced financial allocation for 2015-16". |
They also said they would "continue the development of staff through programmes, such as the Professional Qualification for Headship, which would have a greater impact on the development of the teaching profession". | They also said they would "continue the development of staff through programmes, such as the Professional Qualification for Headship, which would have a greater impact on the development of the teaching profession". |
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