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Raise your voices for fairness in education

Within weeks the NI Assembly will debate the Integrated Education Bill. It is bad legislation and will have huge ramifications for your local school if it is not in the integrated sector.

Our children growing up together, playing together and being educated together is something we all can support. However, this Bill does not break down barriers and tackle educational inequalities. Instead it is designed to further one part of the education system only.

This Alliance Party Bill is rushed and by the admission of the proposer has no recent consultation process to back up its aims, objectives and the new duties it will place on the Department for Education on behalf of the Integrated sector. The Bill will ultimately mean that the Department of Education will have to either 'promote' or 'support' Integrated education in a way that no other sector enjoys.

The Department of Education then would have to prioritise this sector above all overs. Ultimately decisions on a new build for instance, would not simply be decided upon by need, but will be driven by the sector to which it belongs. Your local school should not be deprived of a new building just because it is not part of the integrated sector, even though its pupils may come from all faith backgrounds and none.

The DUP was the only Executive Party to speak up and oppose it to give voice to those of all faiths and none who attend schools in the Controlled, Maintained or Voluntary Grammar sectors. We know that some 92% of our children are educated within these sectors, they are the ones who will lose out of if MLAs do not step up and give them a voice.

This Bill will come back to the Assembly in coming weeks. It is important that parents, teachers and anyone who values fairness in educating our young people make their voices heard.

Michelle McIlveen MLA
Education Minister

Also this week

‘Not Forgotten’ ceremony in Londonderry

Gregory Campbell and Gary Middleton this week held one of the first events to mark the 50th anniversary of events in 1972. It commemorated the murders of Constable David Montgomery and Sergeant Peter Gigunn in Londonderry on 27th January that year.

Reflecting on events 50 years ago, Gregory Campbell said,

"1972 was the year when more people were murdered than in any other year of our recent troubled history. More than 470 died in that one year. More police / army personnel died than in any other year and more civilians died in that year than any other also. It truly was the worst of years. This is one of the first events held in 2022 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of 1972.

Those in the security services endeavoured to prevent terror not cause it, many police officers paid the supreme sacrifice down through the years as they did their duty. This short ceremony is being held to remember all those who did so much to deliver a measure of peace, and we do it on the very day 50 years ago that five officers on duty in a patrol car here in Londonderry were attacked with machine gunfire. Two of them sadly died, Sergeant Peter Gilgunn and Constable David Montgomery. The fact that one was from a Roman Catholic background and the other from a Protestant background may be symbolic to some, but beside the point, they were trying to keep the peace.

It is often the case that some are remembered while others are forgotten. We are here to ensure they are, as the title of our event says ‘Not Forgotten’."

EU would trigger Article 16 again if it suited them

Diane Dodds said,

“One year ago today, the EU were triggering Article 16 to stop vaccines coming to NI. They backed down but had no remorse and no hesitation in using Article 16 to protect their backyard. Yet our government is dithering when the Protocol is damaging the Union and costing our economy £2.5m every day.

Indeed, despite finding the reverse gear very quickly 12 months ago, the EU made it crystal clear that they would not hesitate to use the Article 16 mechanism again if it suited their objectives. It’s about time our government took a leaf out of the EU book.”

Communities Minister’s latest failure of respect

Stephen Dunne MLA has highlighted the Communities Minister’s failure to open a community grant scheme marking Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

He said it is yet another example of Sinn Fein’s intolerance and disrespect towards the people of Northern Ireland.