Question Time: Education 09 February 2015
Budget
concerns were again at the fore as Education Minister, John O’Dowd, faced
Members’ questions during today’s
Question Time. Gordon Dunne enquired as to what measures the Minister is
taking to negate the long term damage that could be caused as a result to a cut
in the budget. In the 2015-16 budget the Department received an additional
£64.9m “in recognition of the inescapable pressures facing education and the
overwhelming response to the consultation”, however, “there remains a
significant pressure on the education budget”. The Minister’s main focus has
been to protect front-line services. As such, there has been no reduction to
school delegated budgets (although wage and inflationary pressures may need to
be considered). The focus “remains on raising standards and closing the
achievement gap.”
The Minister
also discussed the Primary School transfer process and the allegations that a
number of schools provided pupils with tuition for unregulated transfer tests.
The Department has written to the schools following reports that they were
coaching pupils for the unregulated tests during core teaching time. The
letters were not ‘warning letters’ but seeking to confirm that the schools are
meeting their statutory obligations and providing them with the opportunity to
comment. “The Department's overriding priority is to ensure that the
educational needs of pupils are being met. The Department cannot stand by and
fail to act when concerns are raised that coaching for unregulated tests may be
affecting the delivery of the curriculum and therefore the educational
development of all children.”
Also
discussed during Question Time was teacher training places, shared and integrated
education and new GCSE subjects. During Topical Questions the Minister answered
questions on the future of Malvern Primary School, capital/resource funding,
youth centres and the progress of schools in Dundonald and Craigavon.
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