Results 1-20 of 898 for speaker:Caitriona Ruane

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Rural Schools (17 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. Today’s debate focuses on small schools, and I welcome the opportunity to explain how the sustainable schools policy fully recognises the particular needs of rural communities. I also welcome the opportunity to highlight that we cannot continue unchanged into the future. We cannot pretend that there is not demographic decline nor can we hide...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: As the Member will know, the Chamber is the place for discussing legislation. I will bring the Education Bill to Consideration Stage, and we can have a good debate and discussion on it then.

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: The debate today is about area-based planning. I note that the Member focused on one aspect of the reforms. I would prefer it if we took a broader view and focused on all the reforms that the education system is going through. That said, never let it be said that I have not answered the Member’s question. It is good to see that we now have transfer 2010, which is the Department of...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: I agree absolutely about the importance of the 0 to 6 years, and we are bringing forward an early-years strategy. We have also brought in the revised curriculum, which, thankfully, young people are learning in a stimulating and innovative way. The Member will know from talking to primary school principals that the vast majority of schools find the revised curriculum very good at the primary...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: We are receiving replies from schools, and I will certainly share those replies with the Member at the appropriate time. All post-primary schools have a statutory duty to provide a wide range of choice and to collaborate by 2013, and my Department will make sure that schools fulfil their duties. As I said, we have also reviewed all capital build projects to ensure that they are in line with...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: We are actively engaging with local areas, and they will have a say. We are using public money. We have to ensure that we do something about the alarming figures that I read out in answer to Michelle O’Neill’s question, rather than be fixated by some parties’ claims to have saved academic selection. We need to move away from that; that is the last century’s debate....

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: The rest of the world has moved on, and we are moving on. Transfer 2010 is the official policy of the Department of Education.

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: Go raibh maith agat, a Chathail. First, I have met representatives of all post-primary schools in the North of Ireland. I recently had a series of accountability review meetings with the boards, CCMS, grammar schools in each board area and the integrated sector. The entitlement framework and area-based planning were a major part of those discussions, as was working with the area learning...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: I do not want to see local preferred options that discriminate against children.

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: The Education Bill will have its Consideration Stage when the Executive agree to schedule it. I remain focused on the January 2010 implementation date. Therefore, as we move into 2010, it is very important that we work with the chairperson, the chief executive designate and the existing staff of ESA, because the transfer from the boards, CCMS, Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta and the various...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: Go raibh maith agat as an cheist sin. As I said, the chairperson and area group members will attend a series of seminars throughout the North of Ireland, at which they will discuss the report and engage with local people and stakeholders. I look forward to those discussions, which will be very important.

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: The Member has answered his own question, but I agree that we should focus on the jigsaw of progressive radical reforms that we are bringing forward, which put the child, rather than perceived institutional need, at the centre.

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: I agree with the Member about the overprovision of sixth forms, which is one reason why the area learning communities must work together to deliver the entitlement framework. Unless schools work together, it will be very difficult for them. Area learning communities are very active in each of their areas, and all stakeholders are involved in the area learning communities, so it is really...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: That is a most timely question. I will give one example. To date, Fermanagh is the area that has suffered the highest rates of demographic decline. There are 14 post-primary schools in Fermanagh: four grammar schools and 10 secondary schools. Forty-eight per cent of the children who attend the 14 schools are educated at the four grammar schools, while 52% are educated at the 10 secondary...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: As the Member knows, ESA will be set up on 1 January 2010. From that time, we will have more consistent provision right across the North of Ireland. I look forward to ESA’s taking up its role on equality and standards on behalf of all children, including those in the South Eastern Education and Library Board area.

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: A range of policies has been introduced that, for the first time ever, makes the education system much fairer. I have outlined the many, many difficulties in the system. Many of our children are failed by the current system, and that is simply not acceptable. I cannot allow a system that fails 12,000 young people every year to continue. That is simply unacceptable. Thankfully, the focus now...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: Ar dtús, oibrím leis an Choiste. I always work with the Committee for Education, and my Department will continue to do that. As for the question about area-based planning and open enrolment, all sectors are working together for the first time. We will work to ensure that we have an adequate plan to deal with the number of young people transferring from primary school to post-primary...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: Go raibh maith agat as an cheist sin. The programme for international student assessment (PISA) examines the reading, mathematical and scientific skills of 15-year-olds from countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and elsewhere. The examination takes place every three years and is designed to measure students’ ability to apply knowledge and their...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: There is no inconsistency. I have always said that it is not about having a one-size-fits-all approach. What happens in Newry will be very different from what happens in Derry, Coleraine or Ballymena. That is the whole point of area-based planning. We need to bring together all the stakeholders, which is what we have done. We need to ensure that all young people have access to a wide...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Together Towards Entitlement (16 Nov 2009)

Caitriona Ruane: Some schools have not bought into the entitlement framework in the way in which they should have. That is one of the reasons why I wrote to all of the schools to explain that we need to step up a gear and move towards working with our area-learning communities to make sure that the entitlement framework is available to all young people. That is what we are doing. We are putting a huge focus...