A report on educational under-achievement in Northern Ireland’s education system all but ignores the “elephant in the room”, it has been claimed.
The National Education Union panel of experts was established under the New Decade, New Approach deal to examine the link between underachievement and socio-economic background.
Its findings, released yesterday, suggest that more focus on early years, championing emotional health and wellbeing, a whole community approach and continued professional learning for educators will have the greatest impact on children from deprived backgrounds.
NEU Regional Secretary Mark Langhammer, who gave evidence to the panel, said it raised many points “we can learn from” – but he has also accused it of “self-censoring” when it comes the socially segregated nature of schools here.
He added: “It misses the elephant in the room. Northern Ireland’s system isn’t just the most socially segregated in the UK – it is the most socially segregated education system in the developed world ranking 34th of 34 developed world systems.
“Acute social segregation in schools matters because it is the single most important determinant of educational performance, individually or systemically, bar none.”
Education Minister Peter Weir said he has been “involved in the issue of educational underachievement since 2012 and have been passionate about addressing this persistent problem ever since” following the publication of A Fair Start.
Both he and Equality Commission chief Geraldine McGahey have “endorsed” the report.
Sinn Fein education spokesperson Pat Sheehan added the report has provided further evidence on the need to scrap academic selection.
