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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“I am glad that Sinn Féin is now quoting and supporting comments from the reviewer of education. I trust that Sinn Féin will give the same weight to every other aspect of the independent report that Lucy carried out. <BR /> <BR />The Member is right to raise the point about distortion of what children learn in school being based on the test that they have to sit. I have often referred to "teaching to the test". That is why our reform of qualifications needs to align with the curriculum. Otherwise, we will teach only according to what you get a GCSE, A level or vocational qualification in. My reform is not just about the curriculum; it is also about qualifications.”
“I think that we would be able to find a better way, but we have to deal with the systems that we have, and, until there is a different approach that people can argue is the better way to do it, we have to work with the current system while seeking to make improvements. My changes will benefit every single child in every single school, regardless of whether there is academic selection.”
“We often revert to our default positions on this issue if we do not want to engage on the wider reform of our education system. As I have said before, there is no consensus on how to deal with academic selection. We have debated it in motions, and we have divided the House on it, but there is not a universal approach to how we are going to deal with it. That is a challenge for all of us. Is this where we would be if we had a clean slate? I think that the answer is no. If we were to start with a blank canvas, I do not think that we would have academic selection in Northern Ireland.”
“That requires commitment to work through that change. I am determined to deliver that not just for the teaching profession but, ultimately, for the children and young people. We cannot continue with the status quo. It is failing a number of our children, particularly children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. If we believe in equality, let us get behind the transformation and close the attainment gap. That, with the right support for our teaching profession, will deliver more for the working-class people of the Province than any other measures that we can take. I am delivering on that. Let us keep at it.”
“As things stand, the implementation of a lot of the changes has not hit at school level, because it is being taken forward at a very high strategic level. The implementation at school level needs to be carefully managed. That is why I communicated with school leaders and provided them with that assurance. Our education system is facing challenges. I do not deny that there are significant challenges and pressures on our teaching profession, but they are a consequence of the current frameworks in which the profession has to operate. We can move beyond those challenges only by changing our education system. That change is being led by practitioners and professionals, so I am confident that, as we work through the process, we will see the positive changes that the Member seeks, and which, I know, many in the teaching profession want to see .”
“<BR /> <BR />In order for us to deliver the transformation that the teaching profession requires, we need to be able to work our way through that process. I deeply value the contribution that teachers make to education. We need to ensure that they are not unnecessarily burdened with responsibilities but are able to focus on what they came into the profession to do: to teach. That is what I intend to deliver.”
“I will speak to that issue in more detail tomorrow, when I make a ministerial statement on teacher workload. In the course of reaching a settlement on teachers' pay, one of the issues that was brought to the fore was workload. I proposed that an independent body look at that. I commissioned Paul Sweeney, a former permanent secretary in the Department, to chair the body, which had school leader and trade union movement representation. As part of its work, the body considered a lot of the information that the Member has referred to. The report, which has been published and is in the public domain, contains 27 recommendations. I will respond to that formally, tomorrow, and outline how we will take forward the recommendations.”
“My officials are supporting the EA in carrying out initial modelling to inform workshops to discuss alternative allocation models. That work is at an early stage, but it is intended that the first workshop will be held before the end of this academic year.”
“<BR /> <BR />The pupil allocation number (PAN) review carried out by the EA at my request last year included a range of measures to improve the process in both the short and longer term, many of which have already been implemented. Details of that are available on the EA website. I believe that there may be scope to further improve the manner in which the EA takes account of parents' preferences while still balancing its relevant statutory duties. The PAN review includes an action to consider alternative PAN allocation models that will enable a range of options to be fully explored with stakeholders and thoroughly tested to ensure effectiveness before any changes are made.”
“The EA is responsible for managing preschool admissions processes and ensuring that sufficient places are available to accommodate target-age children. In doing so, the EA takes account of all provision across statutory and non-statutory settings. My Department plays no role in that process. The admissions process is still ongoing, but already 98·8% of children have been offered a place in a setting of their parents' preference, and 92·4% have been offered their first-preference setting. I appreciate that settings are naturally keen to attract as many funded places as possible, especially given the continuing decline in the birth rate, which is placing all settings under pressure, and that must be managed fairly by the EA.”
“Nearly 80% of schools provide community use, and it is something that is available to communities. There is a toolkit for schools, which is currently under review and will hopefully be finalised shortly, and it will enable the processes to be more seamless. However, decisions on whether school premises are made available for community use rest with each school's board of governors or the principal. I encourage them to make provision for community use, but it requires that certain criteria be met. However, we ought to make sure that we ameliorate any existing barriers and make sure that our school buildings are widely usable for the whole community, because they are an important asset, and I very much encourage making good use of them.”
“Schools in Northern Ireland have a statutory duty to consider making provision for wider community use of their premises when they are not otherwise required for education purposes. My Department has published a community use of schools guidance toolkit to share good practice and provide guidance on the key issues that schools may wish to consider when deciding whether and how to open their premises for community use. My officials are working with their counterparts in the Education Authority to update the guidance.”
“Obviously, a Budget has not been agreed. Indeed, version one of the Sinn Féin Budget was wholly inadequate for Education, and version two of the Sinn Féin Budget is wholly inadequate for Education, and that is why it will not get my support. Significant work needs to be carried out to get to a point where agreement can be reached. Ultimately, once a decision is taken on the Budget, that is the envelope of funding that I am left with. Members on the Benches opposite chastise me for not being able to invest in schools, and yet it is they who hold the purse strings. We will not be in a position to sign off on the Budget until it properly reflects the priority that Education ought to be afforded. When we get to that stage, hopefully we can make progress and invest in our school estate, because that is what we need to achieve.”
“I visited the school at the Speaker's request. I have seen at first hand the challenges that it faces. I would love to be in a position to say that it is unique: unfortunately, it is not unique. There are a series of challenges reflected in many schools across the Province, and that is why I have made the case for funding to be provided. Let us get to the point where it is subject to funding, and then it becomes a different area where we need to seek the resource. Of course I want Rosetta Primary School to be given the funding to allow the works to take place to restore the facilities that it requires.”
“The fact that education has been underfunded and that our schools estate has a huge maintenance backlog has been well articulated by me in the Assembly. We need to see prioritisation afforded to Education when it comes to its allocation of the Budget.”
“Where we have prioritised health and safety, that is where the first call of funding has gone. We need to expedite all the processes: planning, the business case, feasibility and design. All that needs to get to the point where finance is the requirement. We are not at that stage. Let us — I have engaged on this and have encouraged the EA — expedite all the work that we are doing, because I want to get to a place where Members in the Assembly are able to say, "This is just subject to finance. We just need to get the funding". That allows me to look at the resources in my Department or to seek external support for that from the Department of Finance. Let us move through the process as efficiently as we can and then to the place where it is subject to finance.”
“I remain committed to improving the condition of the schools estate, and I will continue to call for urgent cross-party support to secure the investment that is needed to ensure that every child in Northern Ireland is educated in a safe, modern and inclusive environment.”
“A gate has also been established in the boundary wall to facilitate pupils' access to the church hall. Those measures will help mitigate the impact of the ongoing closure of the assembly hall on the pupils' education. The Education Authority continues to liaise closely with the school, and I can confirm that another meeting is scheduled for 7 May. <BR /> <BR />This situation is, regrettably, another example of the consequences of underinvestment in the education estate. We have over 1,100 schools, many of which are aged buildings and in extremely poor condition. Years of limited budgets and underinvestment have forced the Department and the EA to focus on the most basic priority of keeping schools open and children safe.”
“The Education Authority has appointed an external architect-led design team to address the roofing issues at Rosetta Primary School. Additional toilet provision will also be included in the project. Extensive condition surveys have been undertaken, and the design team has provided an updated feasibility report. It is anticipated that business case development will begin this month. A timeline for the work will be determined when the business case has been completed and the preferred option identified. <BR /> <BR />In a separate project, a planning application has been submitted for a bespoke stand-alone modular toilet block and storage provision at the school. A licence agreement is in place with the neighbouring church to enable the school to use the church hall, with the Education Authority covering the cost.”
“<BR /> <BR />Costs are rising. We seek to provide the best possible support for families through the scheme. I know that more fees will be communicated to parents in the next weeks. We are now able to collect significant data. We know what is being charged, and there is a high level of variance associated with that. We need greater transparency on that and greater information for parents, both of which will help inform their decisions about where to send their child.”
“I thank the Member for her questions and for her comments. The affordability of childcare is a real issue for many families. That is why we introduced the childcare subsidy scheme. We stood it up at pace. We linked it to the tax-free system in the United Kingdom, because that provided the appropriate assurances and vetting to make sure that people were eligible. That has delivered significant financial savings, yet costs have continued to rise. The reality is that providers face additional costs through increased National Insurance contributions and inflation. Those costs are then often passed on. I increased the subsidy cap by 10% after the first year to recognise the inflationary pressures. We continue to increase that to reflect the inflationary pressures, so, when it comes to the subsidy, a 15% reduction is still a 15% reduction.”
“<BR /> <BR />I appreciate that there are tensions in the sector around how to best deliver childcare, but it is best to inform parents by giving them all the evidence so that they can decide where to send their child. We ought to be careful not to be so prescriptive as to say, "You can send your child only to provider x, and you will not be supported if you use alternative means". There is value in the current non-statutory settings and in the wrap-around service that is provided in our primary schools, and I would be wary about undermining that provision.”
“I thank the Member for her question. I spoke about the concerns that were articulated in the consultation responses. We are reflecting on and assessing those concerns. I have outlined how we will do that before I bring a final strategy to the Executive. <BR /> <BR />On non-statutory settings, by which I mean the providers, often in schools, of wrap-around services, I say to the Member that I benefited from such a wrap-around service for my children. The primary school that they attended offered a very affordable way to provide that additional care before school started and after it ended. I am concerned that we could dilute that provision, because it is often a cost-effective and convenient way for parents to have their children supported.”
“<BR /> <BR />I fully recognise the valuable contribution of school-age childcare provision and have already extended the Northern Ireland childcare subsidy scheme to school-age children in September of last year, acknowledging the important role that school-age providers play in supporting working parents. As my officials complete the analysis of the responses to inform a final version of the strategy, they will continue to work closely with school-age childcare stakeholders to refine the terminology, enhance the visibility of school-age provision and ensure that the final strategy document appropriately recognises the role that school-age childcare plays in supporting parental employment and positive outcomes for children.”
“The 14-week public consultation period on the draft early learning and childcare strategy ended on 24 March of this year, with 468 responses received. My officials are undertaking a comprehensive analysis of the responses received to the consultation survey and additional written responses, along with the findings from public consultation events. The findings from the consultation will be published in due course. During the consultation period, it became clear that some school-age childcare providers and representatives were concerned that their part of the sector was not as visible in the actions in the strategy as they would have liked and nor was their important role clearly represented in the strategy.”
“Those who advocate retaining the status quo advocate the retention of a failed system that overburdens our teachers and contributes to their workload and to burnout.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is not about telling teachers how to teach, and professional judgement will remain central, but teachers will have a clearer foundation on which to build and greater clarity at a system-level that will help to reduce workload by ensuring that teachers do not reinvent the curriculum or fill gaps that have been left by a lack of specification. <BR /> <BR />As I said, implementation will be phased and supported, including through guidance and professional learning, so that the change is manageable and sustainable for schools. What I am taking forward in TransformED is a way through the current workload challenges that teachers face.”
“I reassure teachers that the revised curriculum is intended to support their practice, not to add to their workload. The reason why so much of teachers' workload is overbearing and overburdening is the failed framework in which they are operating. The only way of working our way out of the current challenges is through reform and transformation. That is what I am providing and that is what the practitioners in the education sector are delivering with the revised curriculum. <BR /> <BR />One of the weaknesses of the current curriculum is that it is too vague. It disproportionately leaves teachers to make decisions about content, sequencing and coverage. We will provide clearer expectations about what should be taught and when, and the revised framework will reduce uncertainty and duplication. That will make planning more manageable.”
“The draft early learning and childcare strategy refers to there being a curriculum framework for the early years from nought-to-six. While recognising the importance of the curriculum from primary 1 through to year 14, which is completed at the age of 18, we see how we can also help with the curriculum for children aged nought-to-six. That is why I included the matter in the draft strategy. It has been consulted on, and we had nearly 500 responses. We are analysing those. I intend to bring forward a final early learning and childcare strategy to the Executive for their agreement and endorsement. Included in that will be work to take forward a curriculum for those aged nought-to-six.”
“Instead, I was open to information and evidence, which is what informs that work. It has been led by people from various perspectives on the political spectrum. It is not beholden to any particular ideology; it is evidence-informed.”
“It is important to look at best practice internationally, including in the Republic of Ireland, which has helped to shape some of the proposals that we are taking forward. <BR /> <BR />I was very much assured — and rebuked — at a school that I visited recently. The principal commended the work on curriculum reform and then chastised me for not moving fast enough. She said, "Our children cannot afford to wait. We cannot allow a generation to continue with the current system in Northern Ireland", and she pushed me to do more and to do it more quickly. <BR /> <BR />It is appropriate for people to challenge me, but they also need to ask themselves what the basis is for their questions. It is not about ideology. I did not have an ideological agenda when I came into this role, and I did not pursue a particular approach.”
“It is all based on evidence-informed practice. I thank the over 70 professionals from across Northern Ireland, including principals and school leaders from every sector — Catholic maintained, controlled, integrated and Irish-medium — who have provided their expertise in the 13 subject working groups. I am delighted that that work is coming to a conclusion, which will allow a public consultation to take place. <BR /> <BR />That work has been carried out at a very high level. Its implementation — how it will roll out in our schools once the consultation is complete and we have a finalised curriculum — needs to be carefully timed . It has very much been led and owned by people who are involved in education locally. International experts have been able to assist.”
“I expect to receive the draft overarching curriculum framework shortly and hope to launch a full public consultation before the summer. <BR /> <BR />I place on record my sincere thanks to all those involved — the task force members, subject experts and local practitioners — for their professionalism, commitment and willingness to work at pace in the best interests of children and young people across Northern Ireland.”
“The Curriculum Taskforce Advisory Committee has played a central role in advancing the ambitious programme of curriculum reform. The committee has worked at pace and with great diligence, providing strong strategic oversight since its appointment in the autumn. Members of the committee have worked alongside the 13 subject working groups to guide the drafting of a series of curriculum frameworks. They have ensured that the new curriculum aligns with the principles that were established by the strategic review carried out by Lucy Crehan and are firmly grounded in evidence and professional expertise. The committee is completing its review of the final subject frameworks, which marks a significant milestone in the programme of reform.”
“If you have one or two schools deciding to take a different approach to how they timetable their schools, it can have an impact on their own children and young people. That is something to bear in mind when it comes to the opening hours on which schools decide.”
“It is laid out in a relevant circular, but that speaks to the minimum requirements when it comes to when schools should be open. Obviously, school governors can take those decisions, but cooperation with Translink and the EA on service provision is important. <BR /> <BR />That is why we have been communicating with schools, as they have been setting their new timetable for the next academic year, that there are services that the EA will provide — the likes of catering services — and that there will be some days when schools are open but catering services are not available. I appeal to schools to work with the EA to ensure that, when they are open, all services can be provided.”
“There is flexibility, but there also needs to be pragmatic timetabling by schools. I am pleased that, in this particular example, there has been a successful outcome.”
“I thank the Member for her work in this area and for making representation on behalf of the school. It should not take MLAs to get involved for these decisions to reach the right outcome. On occasion, however, that is necessary. It speaks to the wider point that, ultimately, schools have the autonomy to determine their start and finish times. There is a process for them to do that in the minimum requirements that are set out in the relevant departmental circular, but we need to find ways to coordinate with Translink on the delivery of public services and with the EA on its school transport bus services. That, at times, can present challenges. Certainly, in my constituency, schools try to take into account how best Translink's public services can be provided for when they are timetabling.”
“The Education Authority is responsible for the delivery of school transport for eligible pupils, and Translink is responsible for the timetabling of its bus services. I understand that the EA is aware of the Hazelwood Integrated College's proposed change to its school finishing time and that it met with the school, Translink and party representatives on Friday afternoon. A solution was agreed, and transport services will be adjusted to accommodate the school's new finishing time from September.”
“I outlined that my Department commissioned a review of the framework. Decisions on how best we can provide support will be taken based on that review. Obviously, the EA will take its own operational decisions, based on the budget envelope that it receives, on how it can best meet the needs of those young people. It is important for us to recognise that it is vital to support the emotional well-being and health of young people. How best we do that needs to be kept under review. That is why we had the review, which will help to inform future decisions in that area.”
“The funding in 2021-22 was £899,000. That figure has remained relatively consistent, and an interim allocation of £240,000 was provided to the EA. Over the past five years, there has been a total investment of nearly £5 million, in recognition of the importance of the issues being dealt with in that area.”
“I have not removed funding for that programme. An interim allocation was provided to the EA for the programme to continue. Obviously, the EA has taken a particular approach, but I have instructed my officials to work with it in order for the programme to continue, at least until the end of June. Hopefully, that will allow the Executive to reach a position on the final budgetary settlement, and decisions can be taken thereafter. As I said in answer to the substantive question, decisions can be based on the findings of the framework review and the most effective delivery model, considering value for money, sustainability and affordability.”
“It is likely that the findings will inform a new action plan to replace the original implementation plan. The future of all projects will be considered in that context, along with the wider departmental budgetary process.”
“The REACH programme, delivered by the Education Authority (EA) Youth Service, is a valued service. It uses youth work methodologies to support young people's emotional health and well-being, and it works directly with children and young people aged from six to 19. The programme is delivered on a regional basis and is available to all schools in Northern Ireland. It is funded by my Department as part of the emotional health and well-being in education framework. <BR /> <BR />My Department commissioned an independent strategic review of the framework, and that is nearing completion. Interim findings suggest that the framework remains fit for purpose and aligned with wider strategies. Once the review is complete, I will consider its recommendations and findings.”
“The Irish language deserves to be protected from the kind of approach that you have just taken at the latter point of today's process. <BR /> <BR />For the record, I never sent any email. I never said what the Member just said about wishing anyone a happy Christmas. To correct the record on that issue, it was from an official in the Department; it was not a ministerial letter.”
“Apart from comments being completely outwith the principles of the Bill, Sinn Féin has, up until this point, done well to resist the temptation to go down the route that Mr Sheehan has now taken with his commentary. I did not go into the history of the Irish language and the way in which Sinn Féin has used and abused it. Mr Sheehan, when I visit schools, I am told that the language needs to be protected from Sinn Féin's politicisation of it. <BR /> <BR />It does a disservice to the issues that you raise in the Bill that you have decided to go down the route that you have taken at the very end of Second Stage. You know that you have the numbers to vote the Bill through, but you could not resist the temptation to take the approach that you have taken.”
“The most effective way forward is to complete and implement the Irish-medium education strategy, which is already designed to provide the coordinated, evidence-based and responsive approach that the sector needs. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Members, with Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta, with teachers and with the wider community as we take forward that important agenda.”
“The TransformED work will make a positive difference across all schools, and the Irish-medium education strategy will mark a significant step forward in strengthening the sector, ensuring stability in teacher supply, improving SEN support, enhancing leadership capacity and addressing the operational pressures that schools have articulated. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, I acknowledge the genuine concerns around workforce issues in the Irish-medium sector and in the wider education system. I reaffirm recognition of the Department's statutory duty to encourage and facilitate Irish-medium education, and I emphasise that a major strategic programme of work is already under way to address the challenges in the sector.”
“<BR /> <BR />Let me be clear: I share the ambition that Irish-medium education should continue to thrive and that it should do so on a strong and sustainable foundation. Our children deserve high-quality education, access to the right support at the right time and school environments where teachers and staff have the resources and professional development that they need in order to deliver excellent education. The work that is already under way in the Department is aimed squarely at delivering on those ambitions.”
“<BR /> <BR />Introducing a statutory duty in one specific education sector may also, rightly, raise questions about parity of treatment for other sectors, which are also facing significant workforce challenges. Introducing statutory-based planning now risks creating a structural imbalance between sectors. It also risks creating unknown and unintended consequences that could have a negative impact on the broader workforce and that within Irish-medium education. I am keen to avoid duplication of effort or diversion of focus. The development of the Irish-medium education strategy already provides the mechanism for targeted, evidence-based planning. It involves all the key partners that the Bill has identified, and it will allow for ongoing review, refinement and collaborative decision-making.”