MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE FORTY FIRST MEETING OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE IN ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS ON THURSDAY 15 MARCH 2001

Present: Mr D Kennedy (Chairman)
Mr S Wilson (Deputy Chairman)
Mr J Fee
Mr T Gallagher
Mr O Gibson
Mr T Hamilton
Mrs P Lewsley
Mr B McElduff
Mr G McHugh
Mr K Robinson

Apologies:Mrs E Bell

In Attendance:Mrs C Darrah
Mrs J McMurray
Miss J Adair
Ms C Angelone

The Committee met at 10.57 a.m. in private session with the Deputy in the Chair.

1.Minutes of the Meeting of 1 March 2001

The minutes of the meeting of 1 March 2001 were agreed.

2. Matters arising from the Minutes of Proceedings

(i) Copies of the Chairman's letter to the Minister for Education seeking a meeting to discuss the Capital Programme 2001/02 had been circulated.

(ii) The Minister for Education had announced an extension of the timescale of the Review of Post-Primary Education until October 2001. The Deputy Chairman advised members that as evidence sessions had already been arranged for the afternoon of Thursday 22 March, these would proceed. A revised work programme would also be prepared for consideration.

3. Discussion of the Committee response on the 'Myths & Reality' Report on Teenage Pregnancy and Parenthood

A draft Committee response on the 'Myths and Reality' Report on Teenage Pregnancy and Parenthood and further information from the Department of Education had been circulated. The Committee agreed the draft response with one addition. The Committee also agreed to seek clarification from the Department of Education regarding the timescale of the Equality Impact assessment to be carried out on the draft Guidelines on Relationships and Sexuality.

4. Chairman's Business

1. The Deputy Chairman advised the Committee that the Minister for Education had written seeking comments on the Department of Education's bids for the Executive Programme Funds and the priority of them. Following discussion, members agreed that departmental officials should attend the Committee meeting on 22 March to provide clarification and answer questions. Members also agreed to request further information on this matter prior to the meeting.
2. The Deputy Chairman informed members that a consultation paper on Standards for Pre-School Settings had been published by the Inter-Departmental Group on Early Years. Members agreed the proposals to obtain information on the issues to inform a Committee response to the Inter-Departmental Group and instructed the Clerk to seek an extension to the deadline.
3. The Deputy Chairman advised the Committee that the Chairman of the Finance and Personnel Committee had written outlining the Terms of Reference for a proposed Inquiry into the value of Public Private Partnerships including Private Finance Initiatives and requesting comments. Following a discussion, members agreed that the Chairman should respond outlining the comments the Committee had made on the use of PFI in Schools to the Department of Education and indicating that the Finance and Personnel Committee should approach the Department of Education for further information.
4. The Department of Education had written to inform the Committee that it proposed to make a Statutory Rule under powers conferred by the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986. The Statutory Rule will amend the Education (Pupil Records) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998. The Committee instructed the Clerk to write to the Department to request a copy of the draft Rule and the Explanatory Memorandum and to make arrangements for departmental officials to attend a Committee meeting to discuss the background to the Rule and answer questions.
5. The Deputy Chairman advised members that copies of a "near final text" of The Regional Development Strategy had been circulated. Further information had been requested from the Department of Education and the matter would be placed on the agenda for discussion at the Committee meeting on 22 March.
6. The Deputy Chairman informed the Committee that Ms McAuley, Legal Adviser to the Assembly, was holding training courses on the Human Rights Act. Members agreed that the course should be scheduled into the Committee work programme.

5. Evidence Session with the Youth Council on Post-Primary Education

As part of the Committee's consideration of the Review of Post-Primary Education, the Deputy Chairman welcomed Mr Guilfoyle, Ms Young, Mr McKee and Ms McKinney to the meeting. They gave oral evidence on the Youth Council's submission to the Committee on post-primary education and this was followed by a detailed question and answer session. Areas discussed included:

• The role of the Youth Council in providing opportunities for personal and social development of young people
• The need to establish closer links between formal and informal education
• Possible systems for the transfer from primary to post-primary education
• The need for appropriate teacher training to assist marginalised and special needs pupils
• The common curriculum
• The role of the transition year in personal development
• The need to access the views of young people on the Review

Hansard recorded the evidence for publication in due course.

The Chairman joined the meeting at 11.30 a.m. and assumed the chair.

6. Evidence Session with the Catholic Heads Association on Post-Primary Education

As part of the Committee's consideration of the Review of Post-Primary Education, the Chairman welcomed Mr Tierney, Sister Hegarty, Mrs Pettigrew and Mr Stuart to the meeting. They gave oral evidence on the Catholic Heads Association's submission to the Committee on post-primary education and this was followed by a detailed question and answer session. Areas discussed included:

• The deficiencies of the current transfer procedure
• The benefits of the present system of post-primary education
• The use of continuous assessment at primary level
• The most appropriate age of transfer to post-primary education
• The need to set principles for the education system before considering structures
• Possible systems of post-primary education
• The need to achieve parity of esteem between academic and vocational education and the different qualifications and examinations
• The curriculum

Hansard recorded the evidence for publication in due course.

7. Evidence Session with the Secondary Heads Association on Post-Primary Education

As part of the Committee's consideration of the Review of Post-Primary Education, the Chairman welcomed Mr Stuart, Mr McBain and Mr Wilson to the meeting. They gave oral evidence on the Secondary Heads Association's submission to the Committee on post-primary education and this was followed by a detailed question and answer session. Areas discussed included:

• The deficiencies of the transfer system
• The need to achieve parity of esteem between academic and vocational education
• The most appropriate age of transfer to post-primary education
• Possible systems of selection, assessment and the role of parental choice
• The curriculum
• The need to tackle underachievement
• Appropriate timescales for implementation of change

Hansard recorded the evidence for publication in due course.

8. Evidence Session with the National Association of Headteachers (NI) on Post-Primary Education

As part of the Committee's consideration of the Review of Post-Primary Education, the Chairman welcomed Mr Irwin, Mr Arbuthnot, Mr Greenwood and Mr Hamilton to the meeting. They gave oral evidence on the National Association of Headteachers' submission to the Committee on post-primary education and this was followed by a detailed question and answer session. Areas discussed included:

• The deficiencies of the present transfer system
• The most appropriate age of transfer to post-primary education
• The curriculum
• The advantages of a comprehensive system of education
• Possible systems of selection and assessment at primary level
• Vocational education and qualifications

Hansard recorded the evidence for publication in due course.

9. Evidence Session with the Irish National Teachers Organisation on Post-Primary Education

As part of the Committee's consideration of the Review of Post-Primary Education, the Chairman welcomed Mr Bunting and Ms O'Donnell to the meeting. They gave oral evidence on the Irish National Teachers Organisation's submission to the Committee on post-primary education and this was followed by a detailed question and answer session. Areas discussed included:

• The deficiencies of the present transfer system
• The need to ensure equality of opportunity and funding for all education sectors
• The importance of social inclusion and pupil/parental choice
• Possible systems of comprehensive education and the use of setting/streaming
• The curriculum
• The possibility of establishing local systems of education
• The need to find an agreed way forward

Hansard recorded the evidence for publication in due course.

10. Any other Business

1. The Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee had written outlining the recommendations it intended to publish in its report into the Strategy 2010 Inquiry that were relevant to education. The Committee agreed that the Clerk should write back highlighting that many of the issues were currently being considered as part of the Review of Post-Primary Education.

11. Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on Thursday 22 March 2001 at 10.15 a.m.

The meeting closed at 4.27 p.m.

DANNY KENNEDY
Committee Chairman

March 2001