Latest news with #Protestants
Belfast Telegraph
11 hours ago
- General
- Belfast Telegraph
GCSE and A Level performance in NI down, as figures reveal falling grades and fewer heading to university
Girls are still more likely to achieve top grades than boys, and fewer students are heading to university, the figures also show. After reaching a high of 78% of pupils achieving at least five top grades (including English and Maths) in 2022, the figure has fallen sharply to 71.6% for those who reached school leaving age in summer 2024. Unsurprisingly, despite efforts to address underachievement in areas of social deprivation, the number of pupils qualifying for free school meals attaining top GCSE grades remains well below those who don't. At the end of the 2023/24 academic year, just over half of those on free school meal entitlement achieved five GCSE at Grades A*-C (51.8%) compared to 77% of all other pupils, though both figures mirror the downward trend across qualifications. Some 76.3% of females achieving those top grades in at least five GCSE subjects, compared to 68.1% of males. Grammar schools also continue to outperform all other school types with 94.5% of school leavers achieving at least 5 GCSEs at A*-C (or equivalents) including English and maths. That figure falls considerably to 55.3% across all other school types. When English and Maths are removed as a consideration, the overall number of school leavers achieving at least five GCSEs at grades A* to C or equivalent has decreased by 2.4% since 2022/23 (89.8%) to 87.4%. Pupils identifying as Catholic are also more likely to leave with higher graders. The statistics show 72.9% achieved at least five GCSEs at grades A*-C compared to 71.1% of Protestants and 68.3% of those identifying as no religion or other. The latest statistics also show where students head to after leaving school. Some 40.3% continued their studies in Higher Education at university, with 30.8% going to Further Education, 11.3% moving directly into employment, 13.6% taking on training courses and 2.4% registering as unemployed. In A Levels, the proportion of school leavers achieving three or more qualifications at grades A* to C or equivalent was 38.5% in 2023/24, a decrease of 3.6% from 2022/23 (42.1%) and 2.5% down on the number from five years ago (41.0% in 2018/19). Grammar schools continue to produce much better results at A Level with 64.1% of pupils achieving at least three A Levels (Grades A*- C) compared to just 20.3% at non-grammar schools. At 48.1%, the proportion of females going to university was higher than that for males (32.7%) last year. When religion of pupil was considered, 37.4% of Protestant school leavers reported as heading to university compared to 43% of Catholics. Overall the number of leavers who go on to attend university has fallen from 42% in 2018/19 to 40.3% this year, a figure which reflects the declining number of pupils who left school with top A Level grades. Females continued to outperform males in terms of A-level qualifications. In 2023/24, 45.5% of females achieved at least three A-levels at grades A* to C or equivalent on leaving school compared to 31.9% of males. And the gap between the performance of pupils at grammar school and those attending other types of school has widened. The proportion of pupils leaving non-grammar schools who achieved at least two A-levels at grades A* to E or equivalent has decreased by 2.2% from 37.2% in 2022/23 to 35.0% in 2023/24. The proportion of pupils leaving grammar schools who achieved this standard has decreased by 1.5% from 81.5% in 2022/23 to 80% in 2023/24. A total of 23,341 pupils left school at the end of the 2023/24 academic year, with 230 of them doing so without any formal qualifications. Breaking the figures down by where pupils live, Lisburn and Castlereagh is producing higher qualifications than elsewhere in Northern Ireland with 60.6% of all school leavers achieving at least two A Levels (Grades A*-E). Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon district produces the fewest grades in this category, at 46.7% of all pupils. Lisburn and Castlereagh also leads the way in producing pupils who achieve at least five GCSEs (Grades A*-C) at 90%, while Newry Mourne and Down is the lowest at 86.0%. In Belfast 55.2% of leavers achieved at least two A Levels (Grades A*-E), with 86.4% leaving with at least five GCSEs (Grades A*-C). But there will be cause for concern at the exam performance of special educational needs pupils across all schools. Only 18.8% of pupils with a SEN statement left school with two or more A-levels at grades A* to E with 31.9% gaining at least five GCSEs at grades A* to C.
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Health
- Miami Herald
French assisted-dying legislation on way to becoming law
May 28 (UPI) -- Lawmakers in France voted to legalize assisted dying for some terminally ill residents in the final stages of life and in "constant physical or psychological suffering," but they also backed a parallel piece of legislation making palliative care a legal right. Members of Parliament in the lower house, the National Assembly, voted 305-199 in favor Monday after two weeks of debate, clearing the way for the bill to go the Senate before returning to MPs for a second reading -- but it is unlikely to become law before 2027. Under the proposed law, patients would have to state their wish to die by lethal injection of their own free will, and have mental capacity to do so, with a two-day cooling-off period at the end of which the person confirms their decision. Patients, who must be citizens or legal residents over the age of 18, would need to administer the lethal medication themselves, but in cases where the person is physically incapable, a medical professional would be permitted to do it. If it becomes law, France will become the eighth country in the 27-member European Union to legalize the practice. Across the English Channel, England and Scotland are also midway through separate legislative processes for assisted dying bills. President Emmanuel Macron weclomed the vote calling it an "important step" that was also respectful because it addressed the issue of terminally ill people currently unable to access palliative care. "With respect for sensitivities, doubts and hopes, the path of fraternity that I wished for is gradually opening up. With dignity and humanity," he wrote in a post on X. However, the practice has faced opposition in the nominally Catholic nation with the bill referred to as a "law on end-of-life," with support largely demarcated along the left-right divide where centrist and socialist MPs voted in favor while right and far right parties voted against. Religious leaders from across the faith spectrum -- Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists -- launched a joint campaign earlier this month against the "serious abuses" and the "radical shift" they argue the legislation would usher in. Archbishop Moulins-Beaufort, president of the Archbishops Conference of France said the proposed law made a mockery of dignity. "Killing cannot be the choice of brotherhood or dignity. It is the choice of abandonment and refusal to help until the end. This transgression will weigh heavily on the most vulnerable and lonely members of our society," he said. The Archbishop of Lyon, Olivier de Germay, appealed to MPs to have the courage "to go against the tide" and say no to a "pseudo-solidarity that would amount to telling elderly people that we can help them disappear." Archbishop Vincent Jordy of Tours, vice president of the bishops' conference, pointed to what he said was a "glaring shortage" of caregivers resulting in the 50% of French people eligible for quality palliative care -- which he said stopped people wanting to end their lives vast majority of cases -- being unable to access it. Notably, the move is also strongly opposed by a significant proportion of health workers, which could prove problematic given their cooperation would be necessary for assisted dying to work. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
French assisted-dying legislation on way to becoming law
May 28 (UPI) -- Lawmakers in France voted to legalize assisted dying for some terminally ill residents in the final stages of life and in "constant physical or psychological suffering," but they also backed a parallel piece of legislation making palliative care a legal right. Members of Parliament in the lower house, the National Assembly, voted 305-199 in favor Monday after two weeks of debate, clearing the way for the bill to go the Senate before returning to MPs for a second reading -- but it is unlikely to become law before 2027. Under the proposed law, patients would have to state their wish to die by lethal injection of their own free will, and have mental capacity to do so, with a two-day cooling-off period at the end of which the person confirms their decision. Patients, who must be citizens or legal residents over the age of 18, would need to administer the lethal medication themselves, but in cases where the person is physically incapable, a medical professional would be permitted to do it. If it becomes law, France will become the eighth country in the 27-member European Union to legalize the practice. Across the English Channel, England and Scotland are also midway through separate legislative processes for assisted dying bills. President Emmanuel Macron weclomed the vote calling it an "important step" that was also respectful because it addressed the issue of terminally ill people currently unable to access palliative care. "With respect for sensitivities, doubts and hopes, the path of fraternity that I wished for is gradually opening up. With dignity and humanity," he wrote in a post on X. However, the practice has faced opposition in the nominally Catholic nation with the bill referred to as a "law on end-of-life," with support largely demarcated along the left-right divide where centrist and socialist MPs voted in favor while right and far right parties voted against. Religious leaders from across the faith spectrum -- Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists -- launched a joint campaign earlier this month against the "serious abuses" and the "radical shift" they argue the legislation would usher in. Archbishop Moulins-Beaufort, president of the Archbishops Conference of France said the proposed law made a mockery of dignity. "Killing cannot be the choice of brotherhood or dignity. It is the choice of abandonment and refusal to help until the end. This transgression will weigh heavily on the most vulnerable and lonely members of our society," he said. The Archbishop of Lyon, Olivier de Germay, appealed to MPs to have the courage "to go against the tide" and say no to a "pseudo-solidarity that would amount to telling elderly people that we can help them disappear." Archbishop Vincent Jordy of Tours, vice president of the bishops' conference, pointed to what he said was a "glaring shortage" of caregivers resulting in the 50% of French people eligible for quality palliative care -- which he said stopped people wanting to end their lives vast majority of cases -- being unable to access it. Notably, the move is also strongly opposed by a significant proportion of health workers, which could prove problematic given their cooperation would be necessary for assisted dying to work.
UPI
6 days ago
- Health
- UPI
French assisted-dying legislation on way to becoming law
A bill enabling terminally-ill people to end their lives passed the first step toward becoming law in France's National Assembly on Tuesday. File Photo by David Silpa/UPI | License Photo May 28 (UPI) -- Lawmakers in France voted to legalize assisted dying for some terminally ill residents in the final stages of life and in "constant physical or psychological suffering," but they also backed a parallel piece of legislation making palliative care a legal right. Members of Parliament in the lower house, the National Assembly, voted 305-199 in favor Monday after two weeks of debate, clearing the way for the bill to go the Senate before returning to MPs for a second reading -- but it is unlikely to become law before 2027. Under the proposed law, patients would have to state their wish to die by lethal injection of their own free will, and have mental capacity to do so, with a two-day cooling-off period at the end of which the person confirms their decision. Patients, who must be citizens or legal residents over the age of 18, would need to administer the lethal medication themselves, but in cases where the person is physically incapable, a medical professional would be permitted to do it. If it becomes law, France will become the eighth country in the 27-member European Union to legalize the practice. Across the English Channel, England and Scotland are also midway through separate legislative processes for assisted dying bills. President Emmanuel Macron weclomed the vote calling it an "important step" that was also respectful because it addressed the issue of terminally ill people currently unable to access palliative care. "With respect for sensitivities, doubts and hopes, the path of fraternity that I wished for is gradually opening up. With dignity and humanity," he wrote in a post on X. However, the practice has faced opposition in the nominally Catholic nation with the bill referred to as a "law on end-of-life," with support largely demarcated along the left-right divide where centrist and socialist MPs voted in favor while right and far right parties voted against. Religious leaders from across the faith spectrum -- Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists -- launched a joint campaign earlier this month against the "serious abuses" and the "radical shift" they argue the legislation would usher in. Archbishop Moulins-Beaufort, president of the Archbishops Conference of France said the proposed law made a mockery of dignity. "Killing cannot be the choice of brotherhood or dignity. It is the choice of abandonment and refusal to help until the end. This transgression will weigh heavily on the most vulnerable and lonely members of our society," he said. The Archbishop of Lyon, Olivier de Germay, appealed to MPs to have the courage "to go against the tide" and say no to a "pseudo-solidarity that would amount to telling elderly people that we can help them disappear." Archbishop Vincent Jordy of Tours, vice president of the bishops' conference, pointed to what he said was a "glaring shortage" of caregivers resulting in the 50% of French people eligible for quality palliative care -- which he said stopped people wanting to end their lives vast majority of cases -- being unable to access it. Notably, the move is also strongly opposed by a significant proportion of health workers, which could prove problematic given their cooperation would be necessary for assisted dying to work.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Protestant churches gain ground in Latin America in 21st century
SANTIAGO, Chile, May 25 (UPI) -- Once viewed as peripheral players, Protestant churches have risen over the past two decades to become influential actors in the spiritual and political realms across Latin America. According to data from the Pew Research Center, Protestants have increased from just 1% of the Latin American population at the start of the 20th century to nearly 20% by 2024. In contrast, the Catholic population has decreased to 69% from 94% over the same period. The shift is especially pronounced in Honduras and Guatemala, where Protestants now outnumber Catholics, and in Brazil, where they account for 28% of the population. This demographic growth has been accompanied by the increasing political involvement of religious leaders, many of whom have won public office or directly influenced state policies. The power of Protestant churches stems from their close ties to local communities and their ability to offer concrete spiritual guidance. They also have shown political ability in shaping debates on conservative issues such as abortion, LGBTQ rights and sex education. The rise of the far right in Latin America and the growth of Protestant churches are not separate trends, according to Israel Vilchez, director of Christian news outlet "They have a close connection that is reshaping political agendas and challenging the traditional Catholic dominance," Vilchez said. In Brazil, the Evangelical Parliamentary Front is one of the most powerful blocs in Congress and backed the right-wing government of Jair Bolsonaro under the slogan "family, homeland and God." In Guatemala, Protestant actor Jimmy Morales won the presidency in 2016 and aligned his policies with conservative groups. In Costa Rica, pastor Fabricio Alvarado reached the presidential runoff in 2018. In Mexico, the protestant Social Encounter Party supported President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in that year's election. In Argentina, Presidential Javier Milei received support from the Christian Alliance of Evangelical Churches during his campaign, although some groups later raised concerns over policies they said could weaken social justice. Protestant support for right-wing political parties is not based solely on ideological alignment, according to Chilean sociologist Felipe Cruz. "It is primarily a strong opposition to so-called progressive public policies, such as same-sex marriage and gender identity laws," Cruz said. In Chile, Protestant churches represent 17% of the population, according to the Center for Public Studies. The Chilean Congress includes a Protestant caucus consisting of members from various right-wing parties and the Christian Social Party. "Churches will identify more with right-wing parties as long as they support fundamental, non-negotiable values such as opposition to abortion, homosexuality and certain approaches to education," said Bishop Emiliano Soto, president of the Expanded Board of Evangelical Churches of Chile. With a growing social base and increasingly visible ties to political power, protestant churches are emerging as key players in Latin America's future. Their influence is reshaping not only the region's religious landscape but also its political map in a time of constant change.
