Question Time - Education Tuesday 25 November 2014
Minister of
Education, John O’Dowd, discussed new strategies to assist the sections of our
community that currently experience low levels of academic attainment during
today’s Question
Time. The Minister declared “I have continued to implement policies and
provide funding for additional interventions to raise standards and increase
equity”. Strategies include the revision of the school funding formula, programmes
to improve pupil outcomes in literacy and numeracy, a revised Special Educational
Needs and inclusion policy and the provision of funding to support the
development of better links between schools, parents and communities. The
Minister also pointed to the academic selection process used by some schools as
a barrier to change saying “I strongly encourage those schools to move away
from academic selection so that we can eradicate this social division”.
Bronwyn
McGahan also took the opportunity to quiz the Minister on the latest
developments of the anti-bullying forum. Mr O’Dowd revealed that, over the last
year, “the anti-bullying forum has worked with 7,000 pupils in 37 schools and
over 1,000 young people in 26 non-school settings to raise awareness and
provide anti-bullying training”. Anti-bullying week, with the theme of Together
We Will Make a Difference, was held between 17-21 November. The 100% increase
in the number of entries to the accompanying art and creative writing
competitions illustrates the increasing awareness of the issue. Work has also
started on anti-bullying legislation which will soon go to consultation ahead
of the proposed introduction of a Bill in May.
During
topical questions the Minister also answered questions on primary school
enrolment levels, the progress of the new Education Authority, segregation in
education and selection tests.
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