Lively discussion on the future of education

As part of its manifesto call for public debate on key issues such as education, NICVA joined with IEF to host a Civic Discussion on Education.

Chaired by the BBC’s William Crawley, the packed audience heard from a number of key thinkers and opinion formers from the worlds of education, community sector, politics, business and academia who all agreed on one thing: ‘the status quo is not tenable.’

Kicking off the event, NICVA CEO Seamus McAleavey said that the voluntary and community sector is interested in this issue because we are interested in social justice, equality and anti-poverty and “for many people from disadvantaged communities education is route one out of poverty.”

Economist Phillip McDonagh outlined the economic case for shared education and an education system that prepares young people for the challenges of the economy. QUB Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Tony Gallagher outlined the history of the education system in Northern Ireland and discussed the results of a shared education pilot programme involving 65 schools in Northern Ireland, which is producing real results for schools, pupils and the community.  

William Crawley among the audienceA civic panel of Trevor Gribben, Baroness May Blood, Michelle Marken, Bernadette McAliskey and Mark Langhammer shared their thoughts on the nature of education and its importance to society in NI. With comments ranging from calls to stop religious teaching in schools to a strong case for the ethos of faith based education via a call for more socially mixed schools, the civic panel and participants enjoyed a thought provoking and lively debate.

Then it was over to the politicians who had been listening to the debate and patiently waiting their turn. The panel of SF MLA Daithi McKay, the SDLP’s Conall McDevitt, UUP MLA Basil McCrea and Alliance Assembly Member Chris Lyttle restated their party positions on the ESA and agreed on the need to support early years education.  They all agreed with Conall McDevitt when he said “We all know that, as a region, we cannot succeed apart.”

Summing up the day's deliberation, IEF Board Member Brian Lambkin praised the level of debate and good natured spirit in which it was held and said “If you want to know what an integrated school is like - look no further than this room.

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