DE Release:

The Department of Education has announced that Mark Browne is to be the new Permanent Secretary.

Mark Browne has 36 years’ experience in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. Since 2013 he has served as Deputy Secretary in The Executive Office; prior to this he was Deputy Secretary in the Department of Agriculture from 2009.

He will take up post in the Department of Education on 1 March 2021. (more…)

The latest paper in the Ulster University series looking at the NI education system highlights the complexity within the current system and reveals the extent of the challenge that must be faced if it is to be replaced by a more effective and cost-efficient model.

In order to “help build a shared and integrated society” the NI Executive’s New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) document makes a commitment to “support educating children and young people of different backgrounds together in the classroom”. NDNA recognises that, “the education system has a diversity of school types, each with its own distinctive ethos and values” but considers that this is “unsustainable”. On 10th March 2020 the NI Assembly resolved to call on the Executive to urgently… establish an external, independent review of education provision, with a focus on securing greater efficiency in delivery costs, raising standards, access to the curriculum for all pupils, and the prospects of moving towards a single education system. (more…)

The latest paper in the Ulster University series looking at the NI education system examines the extent to which parents in Northern Ireland have a choice of different school types for their children by analysing the location of domestic properties and where schools are situated.

Little has been written about choices of secondary schools after age 11 in Northern Ireland, as the focus has been instead on academic selection, and there appears to have been even less research into what schools are available to parents (and learners) at primary level. The main school types, particularly Controlled (state but effectively Protestant) and Catholic Maintained schools, are within easy reach of the majority of the population, but other school types, notably Integrated schools, are much less accessible. (more…)

DE Release:

Education Minister, Peter Weir has introduced a further scheme to help support substitute teachers during the current six-week period of school closures.

Substitute teachers have been unable to access secure work as schools are closed to pupils except for vulnerable children and those of key workers. (more…)

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…)