Paul Givan
Lagan Valley · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“The EA's enhanced support model has been out for consultation. The Member's party is the largest political grouping on the Education Authority, so his party supported the model's being consulted on.”
“Protections around strike action and action short of strike are firmly established in statute for all workers, including teachers. If the Member is referring to the Education Inspections Bill, let me be clear: nothing in that legislation removes or undermines that right.”
“The issue was covered at length at the Education Committee. The position is still not where it ought to be. When I came into office, the position that I inherited was much worse than it is today.”
“It is an area that I have had to navigate, as have many previous Education Ministers. Industrial relations is an area that needs ongoing work. I have outlined how we can address it, but I come back to saying that, when workload was undefined, trade unions struggled to specify the challenge.”
“That is not a fair characterisation. In fact, I was with Justin McCamphill, the leader of NASUWT, at the launch of the curriculum reform, at which he commended me for it and said that he thought that it was good. I have sat in many a meeting with trade union representatives during which they have said, "This is a good initiative.”
“That is exactly why there is a 16-week consultation period, rather than the normal 12 weeks or the minimum eight weeks; to allow the public and teaching profession to very much engage in that curriculum, which I commend to all Members.”
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“As we move into the group 2 debate, I reflect on the importance of the task in hand: making good legislation to enable effective guidelines that will make school uniforms more affordable for all. We have only four of my technical amendments to debate in the group, so I will move straight to them, while reminding Members that none of the amendments attempts to dilute the impact of what was done at Consideration Stage. Rather, any changes that they will make again relate to language, style and structure in order to make the best legislation possible. I am sure that Members will happily share with me the responsibility of making the best legislation possible in such aspects. <BR /> <BR />Amendment No 2 amends the wording of the amendment voted through at Consideration Stage while delivering the intent.”
“Under the expansion of the childcare subsidy scheme, we moved from 0-5 years of age to all school-age children up to the age of 11 in primary schools. We know that 72 schools in Northern Ireland are registered on the UK tax-free childcare allowance system. We have been working with those 72 schools in order to make sure that they can make the childcare subsidy scheme available, because that provides an additional 15% reduction in bills. We provide the finance to support the schools so that any administration costs can be dealt with; indeed, those costs are minimal. I would like to see even more schools provide that support, because we will support them to deliver it.”
“The survey findings reinforce the point that there is wider public support for the policy statement that I issued on 8 September, particularly on the use of toilets and changing facilities. I was confident that the overwhelming majority of the people of Northern Ireland supported my common-sense position when it comes to biological sex. The survey findings affirm that I am right and that other Members in the Chamber are completely wrong and out of touch.”
“Yes. The survey findings reflect the common sense of the vast majority of the people of Northern Ireland. In particular, two thirds of parents who were surveyed indicated that the use of toilets should be determined by biological sex. Regulation 10(2) of the School Premises (Standards) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1973 states:”
“I have, and I welcome the survey's findings. I am pleased that parents in Northern Ireland were included in the survey, and I am grateful to Parentkind for providing insight into the issues that are important to parents and their children. The Northern Ireland report gives a clear indication of matters that are of relevance to our parents today, such as, for example, parental fears about children's safety, special educational needs and the overuse of mobile phones, and of parents' general views on school and home life and some of the broader challenges that they face. I have asked officials to consider the survey's findings as part of their work on policy areas.”
“Those teachers are from every sector of the education system, all united behind the common belief in and desire to have an effective curriculum that enables them to educate our children and young people. Some Members may not realise what is going on in the education system, but what is happening is transformational, and it will be to the benefit of every single child, particularly those who have disadvantage, in providing greater equity and inclusion. No child being left behind: that is what we are engaged in when it comes to TransformED, the transformational programme that we are delivering in education.”
“The Member is right to say that teachers are hugely important. I have noticed the cynical way in which the SDLP leader of the Opposition has responded to the question. He does not have a particular interest but questions the merit and validity of it. Curriculum reform is fundamental to an effective education system. Do not take my word for it: this morning, I opened a conference at the La Mon hotel in Belfast with over 400 post-primary-school teachers who have a real desire to engage in the topic. <BR /> <BR />Tomorrow — the Member is welcome to join me if he wishes — I will be hosting 600 primary-school leaders, which represents a remarkable level of participation. That is testament to the passion and commitment of our education workforce.”
“The task force will commence work in October. Its role is to guide the development of a new, coherent and knowledge-rich curriculum framework. Following that, a new framework will be presented by spring 2026 and will then be subject to public consultation. It will be an ambitious and challenging framework, but I am confident that the task force will deliver and that the new curriculum framework will be operational by September 2027. That is what I have set out in my delivery plan.”
“I thank the Member. On 27 August, I announced the establishment of the curriculum task force advisory committee, which will oversee, direct and lead the reform of the Northern Ireland curriculum. It will be led by Christine Counsell, with Lucy Crehan as the deputy. The committee includes a wealth of experience of curriculum design, classroom practice, evaluation and implementation.”
“Schools say to me that, if they were able to have a resource, they could utilise support in a way that would be more effective for the whole school population, not just those young people who have a statement. There are thousands of children who have additional needs but do not have a statement. We need to empower schools with a degree of autonomy, accompanied by resource, in how best that support can be deployed. That could involve employing a full-time teacher so that there are smaller class settings. It could be through a youth worker. I have been in schools that have employed youth workers. I have been in schools that employ counsellors. We need to find a better framework for our schools to operate in and in a way that will be more beneficial for our children and young people in achieving better outcomes.”
“Obviously, there will be support throughout the process. The Member will know the various ways in which you can be referred into that. It can be through parental referral, through the school or through educational psychologists or paediatricians. They can all make referrals, and an assessment process can then take place. <BR /> <BR />Having engaged with a lot of principals on that area, I know that they feel that it would be better for them to have resources in the school so that they can have some autonomy in how best the needs can be met. The various needs present in different ways; the presentation can be in speech, communication or behaviour.”
“I have said before in the Assembly that, when we get to the stage where young people and families have to go through a statementing process, we have failed them. We should not have to go through a statementing process in order to make the appropriate provision to meet their needs. We are trying to take forward changes for special educational needs so that we can identify the requirements of those young people and provide the appropriate support for schools to meet that need. That is part of the work that we are seeking to take forward as part of our special educational needs transformation programme.”
“I am nowhere near qualified enough to comment on medical and health issues. I did not follow in detail what President Trump said, but I believe that it was in reference to pregnant women. I am pretty sure that I am never going to be in that position. I have listened to some health professionals in Northern Ireland who dismissed what President Trump said. I defer to those medical experts. I certainly will not be saying anything that is contrary to their opinion.”
“Never mind artificial intelligence, I am concerned about actual intelligence when the Member raises those questions. I have spent £110 million over the last two years to provide support and ensure that we have nearly 3,000 places for our young people who need them. I have engaged proactively with the Finance Minister, and he is working with me on the 10-year plan. I am engaging in proactive work. <BR /> <BR />What I say to the Member who raised AI is that his party put out a statement welcoming the use of AI. His party member for Foyle pays a subscription for AI to assist her with her job. If there is a cynic in the Assembly, it is the Member for South Belfast, leader of the so-called Opposition.”
“The principals responded in a hugely positive way to the statement that I made in the Assembly, which is with the Executive, and they were part of the process. Absolutely, the funding needs to be secured to deliver on that, but it would be a failure on my part not to commission the work and publish it, and, of course, I need to get the associated funding. <BR /> <BR />The answer was not generated by AI. I trust the Member will now retract and apologise for his false allegation last week.”
“The Member knows the cynical comment that he made about AI during questions on the SEN statement. In his response, he has an opportunity to retract his false allegation and apologise. We will wait and see whether he decides to take that opportunity. <BR /> <BR />The Member is right to highlight the extreme capital needs that exist in the education estate. There is a crumbling school estate and an inability to carry out maintenance — we are down to doing only essential repairs to keep the schools open and safe — and we are unable to provide the level of investment that we need. However, it would be wrong and inappropriate for a Minister to say that we are not going to carry out the detailed work, which we endeavoured to do, to identify the special schools where specialist provision can be expanded.”
“I am glad that the answer was short enough for the Member to get a response in. I agree with him: it is not an acceptable time frame. We have new special educational needs regulations, which will reduce the timescales associated with statutory assessments. We aim to reduce the process from 26 weeks to 22 weeks, but that will be a positive outcome only if 100% of assessments are carried out within the 22 weeks. We are finalising those regulations, and I will bring them to the Assembly in due course.”
“Of the statements completed in August 2025, 44% were issued outside the 26-week time frame.”
“We engage with schools, and I welcome the positive engagement that I have had with a number of school principals and the National Association of Head Teachers trade union, which has been proactive in seeking to engage with principals at a much earlier stage in the process. It is only through a collective effort by all of our schools, the Education Authority and my Department that we will be able to provide the right support for young people, who deserve it.”
“That must also include necessary approvals and tender processes, and, unfortunately, it is not always feasible to deliver accommodation in time for the commencement of the academic year. <BR /> <BR />There can be unforeseen events, such as the discovery of the electrical cable that I referenced, but the issue that we face is a lack of capacity across our school estate, particularly for special schools but also when it comes to specialist provision in mainstream settings. I outlined on 16 September a clear plan that will address that in the long term. We still have to react to need, which varies in certain parts of Northern Ireland — there is a higher level of need in some areas.”
“The delay in the delivery of accommodation to provide placements for SEN pupils can occur for a number of reasons. I outlined in the Assembly on 16 September that the number of children with SEN requiring placements far outstrips the number of available places. That can cause delay in naming a school where a placement can be provided. Working with the EA, we engaged with schools over the past year and a half, and that has identified the potential solutions. However, in some instances, it has been possible to confirm those only at a very late stage. That resulted in a compressed timeline for delivery, despite every effort being taken to expedite completion.”
“It is through that long-term approach to investment that we will be able to address the capacity issues that the school that the Member referenced is dealing with; indeed, schools across all Members' constituencies face capacity challenges.”
“There are two points. He rightly highlights that delay, which was caused by a live cable being identified. As regards trying to resolve the issue in that example, the modular accommodation has been constructed off-site and is ready for installation once the site is fully prepared. The contractor has indicated a projected completion date of 5 December, but the Education Authority is actively working to accelerate the programme to get progress in advance of that date. <BR /> <BR />As regards a new build, the Member will know that, only last week, we had a statement around special educational needs capital investment. The EA has produced detailed plans in which we have mapped out the provision that every special school needs. That is before the Executive as part of the 10-year plan for investment.”
“Where the delivery of specialist provision accommodation has been delayed, the Education Authority has been working with affected schools to ensure that contingency arrangements are in place to mitigate the impact on pupils and their families. Each individual capital work project is overseen by a dedicated project manager to monitor the delivery programme. However, unforeseen circumstances can still arise, such as the discovery of a live electrical cable at Ceara School in the Member's constituency, that will inevitably impact on the delivery programme. My Department, working with the Education Authority, continues to monitor active capital work schemes to reduce delays as far as possible.”
“We need to cultivate an environment in which there is a love of reading, because all the evidence shows that that can have a really significant impact on the academic success of young people as they progress through our education system.”
“Not only have we expanded Sure Start through the early years funding for which the Executive provided ring-fenced support but we were able to stabilise the organisation and expand its reach. Where there were temporary schemes in place, we have been able to mainstream them into a permanent zoning of areas where Sure Start operates, and there can now be referrals into Sure Start areas from neighbouring areas as well. <BR /> <BR />We have therefore been able to enhance Sure Start, but we have also provided early years funding through initiatives such as Bookstart. The Member rightly highlights how it is important not only that young people be proficient in reading and develop the skills but that they get a love for reading. I was not someone who really enjoyed reading, and I did not do enough of it when I was at school.”
“<BR /> <BR />The data published by CCEA shows that nearly three in 10 pupils are not achieving at the expected levels in literacy and numeracy by the end of primary school. That is a significant concern, particularly as those foundational skills are essential for pupils' future learning, well-being and life opportunities. It is also a stark reminder of the challenges that we face, and it highlights the urgent need for a renewed focus on literacy and numeracy in our schools. The new data provides a vital baseline for informing targeted support and future interventions.”
“While schools will hold their own rich data on pupils' progress and attainment, our system has limited publicly available national data on how children are performing in literacy throughout primary school and Key Stage 3. End of Key Stage assessment arrangements were not widely operational from 2014-15 right through until 2023-24, but, in the 2024-25 academic year, we saw a return of end of Key Stage assessments for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. Assessments were based on teacher judgement against the levels of progression in communication and in using mathematics. That gave us a clearer understanding of where our education system stands following the challenges of recent years.”
“That will be supported by professional learning opportunities in areas such as the science of reading, spelling, writing and oracy. <BR /> <BR />Through the RAISE programme, I have introduced a "Reading with AI" research project that will provide schools with an opportunity to see how AI tools can support literacy. The study is led by Oxford Brookes University using Amira learning, which is a reading support tool that is aligned with research-informed approaches to early literacy and is powered by AI.”
“Literacy is the foundation of all education. Proficiency in reading, writing and spoken language is vital for pupils' success in school, training and work. I have signalled my intention to develop a new strategy for literacy that is grounded in international best practice and the latest evidence. The strategy will be developed in parallel with the work of the curriculum task force and will provide guidance to support schools in developing pupils' reading, writing and oracy skills. It will also set out a comprehensive programme of action to support teachers across Northern Ireland. In advance of that, I plan to issue a literacy circular to outline the key principles for effective literacy instruction, alongside practical strategies to enhance literacy development.”
“We need to give effect to the ambitions and hopes that they have for their young people by supporting them. We need to ensure that we give effect to that support where it <BR />is best placed. <BR /> <BR />My Department has a role to play, but two other Departments have a key role to play. It cannot be left to Minister Archibald, to Minister Nesbitt or, indeed, to me. There is a collective responsibility on all of us to do better in the area.”
“The Member rightly outlines the emotional distress that is often experienced by families who rightly campaign and care for their loved ones. While there are challenges, the school environment is effective at supporting those young people. As they approach 19 years of age, there is a fear about the level of support or, indeed, the lack of support that will exist in the post-19 experience. That is why there needs to be a more effective process for allowing our young people to move from a special educational needs-type setting into other areas for which the Department of Health and the Department for the Economy have responsibility. I agree that that transition needs to be processed and managed in a better way. It is the parents who often carry the burden of responsibility, because they want the very best for their child.”
“I thank the Member for that question. The transition service currently supports over 11,000 young people. As with all SEN support, the transition service — he is right — is stretched, given the unprecedented increase in the number of young people with special educational needs. I referenced the reform agenda and the delivery plan that I published in respect of that. That includes an action to implement a transitional support programme that builds on the EA's existing service. Full implementation of that action requires some additional funding that is over and above my current budget. However, there are certainly plans there, if we can effect them, that will assist the EA's transition service in managing those issues.”
“We need to make sure that there is a flow of young people leaving education settings and transitioning, with Economy and Health playing their role in that; otherwise, we will not be able to accommodate all the children who rightly want their place confirmed in those settings. The transition process is hugely important for us to make that more effective. The Minister for the Economy is leading in that area, but I assure Members that I will play my full part in supporting the proposals that she has brought to the Executive.”
“The work of trying to ensure that the transition process is better is active and ongoing. That is why we need to ensure, under the legislation that we have, that people stay in the education settings until the academic year in which they turn 19. After that, there is the transition process that Health and Economy are involved in. We need to ensure that that works better than it currently does. There are good examples of where it works, but there are areas of concern where it does not work as effectively as it should. <BR /> <BR />A big focus for our three Departments is how we effectively manage the transition process. I have a particular interest in ensuring that that is effective, because we have thousands of children who need entry to our special schools at ages three, four and five and then into post-primary-type settings.”
“In addition, my officials have engaged extensively with colleagues in the Department for the Economy and the Department of Health through a cross-departmental working group on transitions as part of the end-to-end review of special educational needs. As we move forward, one of the actions in the SEN reform delivery plan is the development of a transitional support programme, and collaborative working across the three Departments is expected to continue.”
“I have confirmed my broad support for her proposals and signalled my commitment to working with her Department in taking forward the proposals.”
“Whilst my Department has no remit for education provision for young people with special educational needs beyond the age of 19, I am committed to working with the Economy and Health Ministers to ensure that young people with special educational needs are supported as they transition out of the school system into adult life. In July 2025, I responded to Minister Archibald's paper to the Executive on post-school provision for young people with special educational needs.”
“That has generated a fair degree of interest, which is welcome, but we need to move beyond that kind of scoping work to real, meaningful processes to help identify children who are missing and to do what we can to make sure that they are engaged in education.”
“The education welfare service within the EA has operational responsibility for children missing in education. A number of procedures and protocols are in place for such children, including protocols involving colleagues in other jurisdictions that relate to children missing in education, because that is also an issue for us. The education welfare service has operational responsibility in that area. Members have highlighted particular examples, and the information that was published in a media article is a result of the Department's work to understand what data is held by GPs and the health service and what information we lack as we try to move forward on this.”
“The range of reasons why people do not attend school can be multifaceted. The Member has outlined one reason why a child may not be in attendance at school, and there are many others. If they are registered but not attending, we know that. There is support. Yes, the question, "How effective is it?" could be asked, but education welfare officers can proactively engage with the families. I am happy to look in more detail into that particular issue, but I assure Members that we want our children to be in school. It is where they are safest, and it is where they are best placed to gain an education. It is in nobody's interests for them not to attend school.”
“Whether I can give the Member a guarantee that that will lead to legislation in this mandate remains to be seen. However, I assure the Member that there is an urgency to making sure that we have as much information as possible to help us.”
“If a child has been registered and deregistered, we know that they have been deregistered. However, there is a challenge in sharing information. We know how many people are born in Northern Ireland — we have a record of that — but, if a child subsequently leaves the jurisdiction with their family, we do not know that. <BR /> <BR />There is, therefore, a lack of information, which, as I referenced in my response to the original question, requires collaboration between Health and the EA. We need to be able to determine, with clear and factual information, how many children are missing in education. I have outlined where I believe there are gaps in the information and that that has an impact on how effective we are in addressing those concerns. It is something that the Department is actively working on.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Her concern is one that I share. <BR /> <BR />When it comes to attendance levels, for children who are enrolled in a school but do not attend, there is a process involving education welfare officers (EWO). We know that, after the first four weeks of the academic year, there are children who have still not gone to school. They are actively being pursued by the EWOs in the Education Authority and by the schools. What we do not know is this: parents have a responsibility to pursue a place in education for the children in their family, but there is no legislative requirement on the parent to inform the Department of Education or the EA if they decide not to register or enrol their child in a school, because they are going to be homeschooled, for example.”
“My officials are reviewing potential legislative gaps and are working to develop departmental guidance on the issue of children missing in education. Addressing that issue effectively requires a coordinated multi-agency approach. To that end, my officials continue to engage with colleagues in the Department of Health and the Education Authority (EA) to explore opportunities for improved information sharing and collaborative action in that policy area. Work is under way to examine the processes and policies that are in place across other jurisdictions, with a view to identifying best practice and informing local approaches. In parallel, consideration is being given to the range of data sources that may be required to support a more effective response to children missing in education.”
“An extensive list — there were well in excess of 20 schools — was published back then. We were able to move forward on seven projects. Those were Carrickfergus Academy; Dromore High School; Edmund Rice College; Loreto College in Coleraine; Malone Integrated College; Mercy College; and Portadown College. In each of those seven, the integrated consultant teams have been appointed and the initial feasibility studies to explore potential accommodation options for each school are under way.”
“The Member has advocated on behalf of the college consistently over the past year and a half. Currently, the college has approved admission and enrolment numbers of 80 and 440 respectively. However, as I previously advised, CCMS is seeking to increase those numbers through the development proposal (DP). In the interim, the school can continue to request additional places on an annual basis through a temporary variation process until a DP is brought forward. I understand that CCMS wrote to the school in April 2025 and provided an update on the progress of the development proposal submission. However, obviously, as I will be the decision maker when the development proposal comes across my desk, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.”
“The major capital project for Dean Maguirc College was announced in 2022. It remains on hold. As I previously said, I will continue to keep all projects that were announced under the major capital works programme in March 2022 and that are currently on hold under review. However, the delivery of all announced projects will very much be dependent on securing additional and significant sustained capital funding.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is also concerning to me that we have a very small number of schools that withdraw the opportunity for those young people to complete their A levels, in that they allow them to do only one year of study and then abandon them. That is not appropriate either, so there is a mixed environment on which to take a view. I genuinely hope that we will get a range of views and that we can then proceed on what we have determined as the best way forward.”
“Preparations for those examinations happen within months of starting lower sixth. Schools will then often have the young people off to prepare for their mocks. That could be for two or three weeks. The AS levels are then completed in May. Some schools do not bring the children back for the entire month of June. It can be up to seven weeks in the life of those young people that they are not in the classroom and are not being taught because they are subject to an examination process. I see the merits in the arguments of those who say that we should remove those exams, but I am also alert to some of the arguments that are made to me about why there is an opportunity for their retention. That is because it can be a wake-up call for some young people if their results do not go as they intended, so that can help to motivate them.”