The Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS) has created this website as well as setting up Interpreting and Translation Services to assist parents in communicating with schools.
Launching the website, the Minister said, “I am delighted to launch this multi lingual website for parents and children. It provides details of our education system in English and 15 other languages. I know it can be daunting to come to a new country and cope with a new job, new town or village, different language and new friends.
“It is my hope that children will enjoy their new school, meet new friends and get the very best education that is available. This website will help parents understand our education system.”
Ms Ruane continued, “I have visited many schools since becoming Education Minister and have been very impressed with the excellent work being carried out to help children feel welcome and valued in their new school.
“I will be working with the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service to make sure more services are provided to our schools and these services will help newcomer children whose first language is not English, as well as their parents.
“In addition, I believe our children should begin learning other languages at an earlier age, and the revised curriculum gives us the opportunity to introduce this for schools who wish to take part.”
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. The website can be found at www.education-support.org.uk
2. Further information on the website can be obtained by telephoning 028 9448 2200 (mobile 07740 214229) or by writing to:
Mr Ray Gilbert North Eastern Education & Library Board Antrim Board Centre 17 Lough Road ANTRIM BT41 4DH3. The Department of Education has earmarked £813,000 for the 2007/2008 financial year. This will go direct to the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service.
4. In addition, the Department has given the Education and Library Boards £3.6m through the Common Funding Formula (CFF), this equates to £943 per EAL child. The total allocation for EAL in 2007/08 is over £4.4m.
5. The Education and Library Boards have set up a single regional Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS) incorporating English as an additional language (EAL) in schools. EAL is the term used to describe children whose first language is not English and who have difficulty accessing the curriculum.
6. The North Eastern Education and Library Board was selected to host the new Ethnic Minority Achievement Service, which will provide services on a regional basis.
7. The Children and Young People Funding Package has also allocated £75,000 in 2007/2008 for the interpretation and translation services and the creation of the multi lingual parents website. These services are providing access to interpreters and the translation of important documents in various languages for teachers, pupils with English as an additional language and their parents. Today’s launch centres on the multi lingual parents website which provides information on the education system in the North of Ireland in English and 15 other languages and is being launched by EMAS. We settled on the top sixteen languages by using the data from the schools census, taken in October 2006. The Department carried out extensive consultation with EAL parents and children and the parents in particular said they wanted information on the education system in the North of Ireland, this website will fill that gap. In addition, parents said they needed help communicating with schools and the provision of interpreters is helping in this respect.
8. The October 2006 census indicated that there were 3,911 children and young people having English as an additional language (EAL).
9. Media queries to the Department of Education Press Office on 028 9127 9701.
