- The 6th NSMC meeting in Education Sectoral format was held in De La Salle High School, Downpatrick, Co Down on Wednesday 28 May 2008.
- The Northern Ireland delegation comprised Caitríona Ruane, MLA, Minister of Education and Edwin Poots MLA, Minister of Culture Arts and Leisure. The Irish Government was represented by Batt O’Keeffe, TD, Minister for Education and Science. Minister Ruane chaired the meeting.
- Joint presentations were made to the Council on best practice in Traveller Education and School Leadership in tackling Underachievement. Council welcomed the continuing practical co-operation in relation to addressing educational underachievement, particularly in the area of literacy and numeracy.
- Ministers considered proposals for enhanced joint working, including the proposal to hold a joint conference for education professionals on the topic of numeracy in primary schools as part of a joint approach to sharing best practice and identifying common research needs.
- Council agreed that a joint Working Group on Educational Underachievement will be convened, with an initial work programme to include consideration of approaches in both jurisdictions to raise overall levels of achievement in education and to tackle underachievement, particularly among more disadvantaged groups including lower income families, the Traveller community and young people from minority ethnic groups. The Working Group will report progress to the next NSMC meeting in Education Sectoral format.
- Ministers welcomed the proposal to organise a conference on best practice in the education of children from the Traveller community and looked forward to receiving the published report which will contribute to the development of specific objectives and targets in this area.
- Council also welcomed the establishment by the Department of Education of a Committee for the Education of Traveller Children and looked forward to their collaborative work with the Department of Education and Science in the future.
- Council discussed steps to facilitate trained teachers to achieve the necessary Irish language qualification requirement for teaching in southern schools, thereby assisting greater cross-border mobility. Ministers noted that teachers pursuing the Irish language qualification can avail of training programmes that are in place in a number of regions. In addition, information seminars on the primary-school curriculum are provided by the Primary Curriculum Support Programme (PCSP) in Monaghan Education Centre to teachers seeking employment in southern schools.
- Council welcomed the ongoing co-operation to date between the Education Departments’ respective Inspectorates, including the agreement of a protocol for exchanges.
- Ministers also welcomed the work by the Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS), including on citizenship education and special educational needs and looked forward to the outcome of their work on school leadership policy and practice.
- Ministers noted that the Regional Training Unit (RTU) and the Leadership Development for Schools (LDS) programme continue to work on a collaborative basis on leadership development issues and have agreed to develop a joint research project which will concentrate on how best to attract and develop new school leaders.
- Ministers also noted the ongoing work of the working group on the transfer of pensions rights. The group is now gathering evidence on difficulties experienced by teachers in moving between both jurisdictions as a result of the inability to transfer pension entitlements and will report back to a future NSMC meeting.
- Council welcomed the significant progress made to date on the development of a Centre of Excellence for Autism at Middletown and the fact that the Centre has begun to deliver training courses. The autism research and information service is being developed and will start service delivery following completion of a recruitment exercise currently underway. The educational assessment service and the learning support service will come on stream at a later date on completion of the new Training, Research and Administration building. Council also welcomed the progress made by the Centre in its consultations with parents, professionals and others to inform how the proposed services will be delivered and looked forward to a formal report on the outcomes.
- Ministers noted the success of the Autism Stock-take by the Department of Education (DE) and the Education and Training Inspectorate, on 10 and 11 March 2008, to inform the development of an autism strategic plan for DE as well as establishing common strategic thinking in respect of autism. Ministers also noted the success of the conference on Autistic Spectrum Disorders held on 15 April in Dublin.
- Ministers also noted the successful outcomes of the Cross Border School and Parent Community Partnership Programme, which include the development of teaching and learning aids in the areas of autism, speech and language.
- Ministers received an update on educational exchanges and noted the ongoing co-operation between Departments. In 2008, twenty school and youth based exchange programmes will be undertaken.
- Council noted that a review of educational exchanges and supporting mechanisms has recently been completed. Officials are considering the recommendations and the appropriate joint processes and approaches which will be required to jointly manage and co-ordinate educational exchanges in the future. Council requested officials to report to a future Council meeting on progress achieved in agreeing a joint approach for the future management and funding of educational exchanges.
- The Council agreed to meet again in Education Sectoral format in Autumn 2008.
- The Ministers thanked Mr Barry Sharvin, Principal of De La Salle High School and all the staff and students for their help and cooperation in enabling the meeting to take place.
Educational Underachievement
Teacher Qualifications & Teachers’ Superannuation
Special Education Needs
School Youth and Teacher Exchanges
Date of Next Meeting
Joint Secretariat
May 2008
