Speis

I just got a copy of the college paper, quickly skipped to my page and started foaming at the mouth. They cut one of my stories. Now I know that space is at a premium but I told the editor that I was writing 400 words on this story, which he agreed to. I did some fresh research - emailed some colleges and interviewed the CEO of the Postgraduates Application Centre, fer chrisake. I wouldn't have bothered with any of that, I would have just rephrased the story if I'd known he was going to slash it to 150 words.

The story appeared under the headline 'No Teachers!' (which, for the record, is stupid):

The government plans to put a quota on business graduates qualifying as secondary-school teachers in time for 2006-2007 academic year.

The scheme will reduce the number of graduates from business backgrounds qualifying for higher diploma in education courses at National University of Ireland (NUI) colleges. The H. Dip is required to teach at secondary-school level.

In the past two years as many as two thirds of graduates from the H. Dip have been from a business background. This number could be reduced to as little as a quarter from the next academic year.

This will be the first quota since the current application system was introduced in 1999. Every year, around 3500 applications compete for 800 places on offer. The quota is not designed to hamper business graduates as it applies to all third-level business courses – including areas like accounting and commerce.

It is hoped that it will encourage more applicants from non-business backgrounds.

Fine. But here's all I wrote:

The Government plans to implement a “quota” on business graduates qualifying as secondary-school teachers. The scheme will reduce the number of graduates from business backgrounds qualifying for National University of Ireland (NUI) Higher Diploma in Education courses. The qualification that is required to teach at secondary-school level.

In 2004-2006 as many as two thirds of graduates from this course have been from a business background. This number could be reduced to as little as a quarter from the next academic year 2006-2007, according to the Irish Times. It would result in more places for graduates from different backgrounds, including science and maths. Every year around 3500 applicants compete for 800 places.

Dr Séamus Mac an Rí, CEO at the Postgraduate Applications Centre in Galway, says this will be the first quota since the current application system was introduced in 1999. He does not think the quota will reduce demand for the course. There may be a “slight dip” or a “slight rise” as some students are discouraged from applying. He was keen to stress that this is not just for business studies it affects all business graduates, including areas like accounting and commerce. The quota is not designed to obstruct business graduates, rather it is intended to encourage applicants from non-business backgrounds.

The possibility of quotas is one that the PAC has been “looking at for a number of years”. However it is the Department of Education and Science that is implementing the scheme. In the future Dr Mac an Rí expects other subjects will be examined with a view to introducing further quotas. Despite these restriction he expects the course’s “high standards” to remain in place on a fiercely-contested course where the “only guarantee of a place is a First”.

The PAC is currently spearheading a website that offers online postgraduate applications through their website at www.pac.ie . The system allows graduates to apply for courses entirely online, electronically, without paper. It allows the PAC to perform “the work of 9 months in 9 days”. DCU was the first to join the scheme with the pilot last year. UCC is joining in Dec 1st. The DIT Registry office says that the “institute is currently investigating the development of an on-line system”. The service could be available from September 2006.

Now I have to go and clean all this foam off.