COMMITTEE FOR EDUCATION
Minutes of Proceedings
Friday, 14 December 2007
Room 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr S Wilson (Chairperson)
Mr D Bradley (Deputy Chairperson)
Mrs M Bradley
Rt Hon J Donaldson
Mr B McCrea
Miss M McIlveen
Mr K Robinson
Mr M Storey
In Attendance:
Mr J Simmons (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs K O’Hanlon (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr D Douglas (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms D McKenna (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr P Butler
Mr T Lunn
Ms M O’Neill
The Chairperson opened the meeting at 10.41am in public session.
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Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
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Minutes of the Meeting of 7 December 2007
Agreed – the Committee approved the draft minutes of the meeting of 7 December 2007.
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Matters Arising from the Minutes
(a) The Committee noted contents of the letter from the Department regarding the December 2007 Monitoring Round.
Agreed – the Committee will request further information from the Department on a number of points.
Mr Robinson joined the meeting at 10.45am.
(b) The Committee noted the response from the Department regarding Rainey Endowed School, Magherafelt.
Agreed – the Committee approved the draft response. The Committee also agreed to request a briefing from the Department on the use of Public Private Partnerships at a Committee meeting in the New Year.(c) The Committee noted the contents of the correspondence from the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI) regarding gender issues.
Agreed - the Committee will consider inviting GTCNI to give a presentation to the Committee at a later date.
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Correspondence
(a) The Committee noted the contents of the correspondence from C Kernohan.
Agreed – the Committee approved the draft response.(b) The Committee noted the letter from the Committee for Regional Development regarding Speed Management.
Agreed – the Committee approved the draft letter to the Department.(c) The Committee noted the correspondence from Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health, ‘Mental Health Promotion: Building an Economic Case’.
Agreed – the Committee approved the draft response.(d) The Committee noted the correspondence from the Youth Council for Northern Ireland regarding the ‘Equality Impact Assessment on Core/Infrastructure/Programme Funding Schemes for Regional Voluntary Youth Organisations.
(e) The Committee noted the report of the Joint Consultative Forum (Education Sector) meeting held on 18 October 2007.
(f) The Committee noted the contents of the correspondence from Mr W Graham.
(g) The Committee noted four Departmental Press Releases, ‘Diversity Resource is a First for Primary Schools, North and South’; ‘Minister Announces Equality Consultation on Education Plans’; ‘Ruane Meets Scottish Education Minister’; and ‘Ruane Opens New Autism Unit for Children in Coalisland’.
(h) The Committee noted the list of proposed recipients of Committee Christmas cards.
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Presentation by the Western Education and Library Board (WELB)
Barry Mulholland, Chief Executive; Iris Barker, Head of Property Services; Alison Smyth, Post-Primary Framework Adviser; and Rosemary Waterson, Senior Education Officer, WELB, joined the meeting at 10.55am. The witnesses gave a presentation on the WELB’s pre-consultation document outlining the proposals for Controlled/ Voluntary Post-Primary Education in Co Fermanagh.
Mr Storey left the meeting at 10.58am.
Mr McCrea joined the meeting at 10.59am.
The witnesses answered questions on a number of issues, including: the pre-consultation and consultation processes; the level of engagement with Primary Schools; liaison and collaboration with other schools sectors regarding post-primary provision; the condition of the schools estate in Fermanagh; the potential increase in travel time for pupils; and the possible impact of the Minister’s Transfer Proposals on WELB’s post-primary proposals.
Rt Hon J Donaldson joined the meeting at 11.17am.
Mr Storey rejoined the meeting at 11.20am.
The Chairperson thanked the witnesses and they left the meeting at 11.45am.
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Presentation by Fermanagh Rural Education Entitlement (FREE)
Alan Madill, Director Community Development, Fermanagh Rural Community Development Initiative; Harold Andrews, Councillor, Erne East; and Roderick Farrell, concerned parent, joined the meeting at 11.46am. The witnesses outlined their concerns with the WELB’s proposals for controlled/voluntary post-primary education in Fermanagh and answered questions on a number of issues, including: lack of transparency in the development of the options outlined in the WELB’s pre-consultation document and the consultation process; potential for collaboration and co-operation with other schools sectors; the role of local schools and the impact of school closures on rural communities; and concern with proceeding with the process of schools rationalisation in Fermanagh in light of the Minister’s Transfer Proposals.
Mr Bradley left the meeting at 11.55am.
The Chairperson thanked the witnesses and they left the meeting at 12.20pm.
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Presentation by the Northern Ireland Commission for Catholic Education (NICCE)
Gerry Lundy, Programme Director; Martin McIlvenny, Senior Development Officer/Project Manager; and Sean Rafferty, Education Adviser, NICCE, joined the meeting at 12.21pm. The witnesses gave a presentation on the pre-consultation paper on the future of Post-Primary Education in the Clogher and Kilmore Dioceses.
Mr Bradley rejoined the meeting at 12.30pm.
The witnesses answered questions on a number of issues, including: the methodology of the process to identify options and the extent of discussions undertaken; flexibility in the pre-consultation process to allow for alternative options to be proposed; engagement with and scope for partnerships and co-operation with the controlled sector; maintenance of the ethos of Catholic education; the level of support from voluntary grammar schools for non-selective options; and area-based planning and the school enrolment thresholds set out in the Bain report.
Rt Hon J Donaldson left the meeting at 12.51pm.
Miss McIlveen left the meeting at 12.51pm.
Rt Hon J Donaldson rejoined the meeting at 12.52pm.
Mrs Bradley left the meeting at 12.55pm.
Miss McIlveen rejoined the meeting at 12.56pm.
Miss McIlveen left the meeting at 1.05pm.
Mrs Bradley rejoined the meeting at 1.05pm.
Miss McIlveen rejoined the meeting at 1.07pm.
Mr Storey left the meeting at 1.12pm.
The Chairperson thanked the witnesses and they left the meeting at 1.14pm.
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Presentation by the Fermanagh Kilmore Schools Action Group
Martin McBride, Principal, St Aidan’s High School, Derrylin; Eugene Dolan, Principal, St Mary’s Primary School, Killesher; and Ita Jordan, Principal, St Mary’s Primary School, Teemore, joined the meeting at 1.15pm. The witnesses outlined their concerns regarding the proposals for Post-Primary Education in the Clogher & Kilmore Dioceses.
Mr McCrea left the meeting at 1.15pm.
Mr Storey rejoined the meeting at 1.20pm.
Mr McCrea rejoined the meeting at 1.24pm.
The witnesses answered questions on a number of issues, including: the importance of small schools in rural communities; social and infrastructure issues with just two centres for maintained post-primary schools; the need for flexibility in the provision of the Entitlement Framework for rural schools; the impact of the pre-consultation proposals on the public’s perception of the future of the schools involved; and the potential for engagement and co-operation with other schools sectors.
Rt Hon J Donaldson left the meeting at 1.52pm.
Rt Hon J Donaldson rejoined the meeting at 2.01pm.
The Chairperson thanked the witnesses and they left the meeting at 2.04pm.
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Draft Work Programme
The Committee considered the paper from the Clerk providing draft questions to put to the Department on the Minister’s Transfer Proposals.
Agreed – the Committee approved the draft questions, with one amendment. The Committee will request that the Minister and senior Departmental officials attend the Committee’s meeting on 11 January and/or 18 January 2008 to further discuss the proposals.The Committee noted the letter from the Northern Ireland Association of Education & Library Boards (NIELB) requesting an opportunity to meet with the Committee regarding RPA policy issues and concerns.
Agreed – the Committee will invite the NIELB to give a presentation at its meeting on 25 January 2007.
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Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Friday 11 January 2008 at 10.30am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 2.08pm.