The Integrated Education Fund (IEF) welcomes the recent announcement by the Education Minister to establish an Independent Review of Education and believes it provides a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to set out a roadmap to reform the education system and normalise the school experience for our children, their children and future generations. (more…)

DE Release:

The Education Minister has said pre-school education settings, primary and post primary schools will be required to provide remote learning to pupils until the half term break in mid-February.

Special schools will remain open as usual.

The Executive will be keeping the position under review.

Vulnerable children and children of key workers will have access to schools for supervised learning. Only one parent/guardian is required to be a key worker. (more…)

DE Release:

A section of the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Act 2016 which requires the Education Authority to seek and have regard to the views of the child has come into operation today.

Education Minister, Peter Weir said: “I am committed to improving the current system of special educational provision and to support pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN) to meet their full potential. (more…)

The integrated Education Fund (IEF) welcomes the publication of the Northern Ireland NGO Stakeholder Report submitted by the Children’s Law Centre to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s ‘List of Issues Prior to Reporting. The report was drafted by Deena Haydon.

The ‘List of Issues Report’, compiled in partnership with stakeholders in Northern Ireland, seeks to inform questions posed to the UK government and NI Executive ahead of the next examination of the UK Government by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. (more…)

Education Minister Peter Weir has today announced his intention to establish an Independent Review of Education.

The Terms of Reference for the Review, which is an Executive commitment in New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) have been published today. (more…)

The Integrated Education Fund welcomes the statement from the First Minister and DUP Leader, Arlene Foster, that “2021 can be an opportunity to re-examine the past decisions that shaped Northern Ireland”.

The First Minister’s reference to Lord Londonderry’s early proposals to create a common education system is extremely important and welcome.

The IEF wholeheartedly agrees that 2021 is the time to re-start that debate – one that must include the opinions of everyone in our society. Evidence to date suggests that the majority of people want our children, irrespective of their religious or cultural backgrounds, educated together.

The statement can be viewed in full on the DUP website here: https://mydup.com/news/dup-leader-reflects-on-centenary-of-government-of-ireland-act