“We welcome the Minister's statement on the Independent Review and look forward to the publication of his strategy for education; he outlines curriculum, assessment, qualifications and tackling educational disadvantage as central to his polices going forward. As expressed through our own Policy Forum, we believe the 25 recommendations contained within the Review are crucial to improving the education system and the experiences of the children, young people and professionals within it.
“It is vital that the Independent Review is implemented in full and that the appropriate funding is secured in order to make the necessary reforms. The current system cannot be sustained and investment is required to move forward.
Mandating education or training until the age of 18
“This is a welcome development and brings Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK. We agree that this move could help to support the most vulnerable, ensuring they have a clear pathway beyond the age of 16.
“However, we await greater detail. It is important that the appropriate funding is in place to secure the necessary places for all young people and that collaboration across the Department of Education and Department of Economy is effective in providing meaningful vocational routes on par with general qualifications.
Review of the Northern Ireland Curriculum
“Since its launch in 2007, the Northern Ireland Curriculum has seen limited review and so we welcome the Minister's decision to proceed as recommended in the Independent Review of Education. We believe Lucy Crehan is well placed to lead this review and look forward to feeding into this work on behalf of school leaders in the province.
“It is important that stakeholders from across Northern Ireland have the opportunity to contribute to this review and that the outcomes reflect the needs of contemporary Northern Ireland. We look forward to seeing the terms of reference and scope and caution that funding must be made available to take forward any recommendations coming from it.”