Northern Ireland

Michelle McIlveen: We must learn to manage Covid-19

Education Minister Michelle McIlveen
Education Minister Michelle McIlveen Education Minister Michelle McIlveen

AS children return to classrooms, Education Minister Michelle McIlveen sets out her priorities and says after two years of lockdown-enforced closures "we must learn to manage Covid-19".

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EVERY child deserves the highest quality education possible from their first steps in early years, to pre-school right through to the end of their formal educational journey at school.

The last 18 months have been a challenging period for all in dealing with the pandemic but especially for young people. It makes me immensely proud that despite the challenge and upheaval, the determination, resilience and positive attitude of teachers, classroom assistants, pupils, parents, staff, youth workers and child care staff, have shone through.

No other cohort have experienced a situation where they been out of the classroom for a sustained period of time. Despite two years of disrupted learning, they have shown enormous tenacity.

This year, once again, we were able to celebrate the achievements of pupils who received GCSE, AS, A-level and vocational qualification results, all in the face of extraordinary challenges. I pay tribute to all of them.

As we move out of the pandemic, we must learn to manage Covid-19 as an ongoing part of our lives. The last 18 months has taken its toll on our young population. The Wellbeing Framework launched in February 2021, with funding of £6.5 million annually, will help promote improved mental health and wellbeing.

I have seen at first-hand the important work being done by our youth service both during the pandemic and as restrictions have been lifted. I have heard directly from young people who have benefitted from the support of youth workers throughout the pandemic, in particular those who are most vulnerable and at risk. It has been a wonderful experience to visit the summer schemes being run by the youth service and many schools and I am grateful for the enthusiasm and resourcefulness that has been shown in developing these innovative programmes.

The £11.2m Engage programme, first introduced in schools in September 2021, has made a real difference to the lives of young people who have been most affected by the pandemic. The scheme provides additional concentrated teaching and learning support to those most in need and I am delighted that it has been extended for a further year. With funding of over £16m, Engage II will guarantee that even more financial resources are being directed to schools.

Looking to the future, my overriding aim is to develop a world leading education system in Northern Ireland with sustainable schools and an excellent teaching and ancillary workforce.

That will require significant additional financial resources for schools and education must therefore be a top priority in the forthcoming budget that the executive is beginning to consider.

I am determined to tackle disadvantage and underachievement and will therefore take forward implementation of the actions set out in the excellent A Fair Start report to help close the attainment gap in our education system. This report will not, under my watch, simply sit on the shelf.

We must support those who are vulnerable and have additional needs. I will therefore continue to press for further investment in Special Educational Needs and my department will progress implementation of the SEND Act and the new SEN framework.

I also want to improve the schools estate and will continue to deliver the New School Enhancement Programme with a capital investment of more than £200m which will contribute significantly in making all schools fit for purpose.

Through our contribution to the Executive's Children and Young People's Strategy I will give children and young people the best start in life by promoting play and leisure, learning and achieving, safety and stability and economic and environmental wellbeing.

Finally I will be announcing the panel for the Independent Review of Education shortly and they will start work later this year.

The pandemic has been a difficult time for many in society, particularly children. We now need to invest in their education to rebuild a better and more hopeful future.