Present: Mr D Kennedy (Chairman)
Mr S Wilson (Deputy Chairman)
Mr O Gibson
Mr T Hamilton
Mr B McElduff
Mr G McHugh
Mr K Robinson

Apologies: Mrs E Bell
Mr J Fee
Mr T Gallagher
Ms P Lewsley

In Attendance: Mrs C Darrah (Committee Clerk)
Mrs V Artt (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Ms M Austin (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mr D Stevenson (Executive Support)
Ms S O'Neill (Administrative Support)

The Committee met at 10.30 a.m. in private session.

1. Minutes of the Meeting of 28 February 2002

The minutes of the meeting of 28 February 2002 were agreed.

2. Matters Arising

(i) Copies of letters to the Minister of Education on a number of issues discussed at the Committee meeting held on 28 February 2002 had been circulated for information.

(ii) The Committee noted a letter from the Minister of Education explaining the delay in receiving the draft pamphlet on the Burns Proposals and the Review of Post-Primary Education. The matter would be placed on the agenda for the next meeting of the Committee.

(iii) The Committee noted that the Minister of Education was unavailable to attend the meeting scheduled for 14 March 2002 to discuss the Review of School Information and Prospectuses and agreed that officials should attend to present the proposals in his absence.

(iv) The Committee noted a reply from the Minister of Education regarding the supply of mathematics teachers.

(v) A copy of a response from the Minister of Education to further questions regarding the maintenance of salary differentials for Principals and Vice-Principals had been circulated. The Committee noted that meetings were scheduled with Management and Teachers' sides to discuss detailed guidance prepared by the Department and agreed that it wished to be kept informed of the outcome of the meetings.

(vi) The Committee noted a letter from the Minister of Education on the Consultation Document on the Proposed Bill of Rights by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and agreed to request an indication of the timescale for his full response.

3. Chairman's Business

(i) The Chairman advised members that the Speaker had forwarded a copy of a Public Petition laid in the Assembly regarding a proposal to close Mosside Primary School. Following a short discussion the Committee agreed to request information on the current position and the reasons for the proposed closure.

Mr Hamilton joined the meeting at 10.40 a.m.

(ii) A copy of a letter from to the Chairman regarding delays in the payment of Threshold Assessment Awards to part-time teachers had been circulated. The Committee agreed to write to the Minister of Education to seek an assurance that, as indicated in his letter in January, all outstanding awards would be paid by the end of March 2002.

(iii) The Chairman advised the Committee that an invitation to all members had been received from the Committee for the Environment to attend a seminar/reception for Members of the UK Sustainable Development Commission on Tuesday 12 March at 2.15 p.m. in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings.

(iv) The Chairman informed members that the Clerk to the Committee for Regional Development had written requesting information regarding the use of school buses. The Committee agreed to request the information from the Department of Education.

Mr Robinson joined the meeting at 10.45 a.m

(v) The Chairman of the Committee for Finance and Personnel had written regarding an Inquiry into European Structural Funds and Community Initiatives. The Committee agreed to forward a letter regarding the Inquiry to the Minister of Education. The Committee also agreed that an extension to the deadline should be sought to enable a response to be prepared.

(vi) The Committee noted that a public lecture entitled "Building Intelligent Schools" by Professor David Perkins had taken place at Queen's University Belfast on 6 March 2002. Members agreed that any available information should be obtained and circulated.

(vii) Mr McElduff briefed the Committee on his attendance at the Comhairle Na Gaelscolaíochta Conference on 23 February 2002. The Committee agreed that arrangements should be made for a short presentation on the "Brain Gym" and associated Methods of Teaching.

4. Consideration of a draft response on the video about the Burns proposals and the Review of Post Primary Education

The Committee considered a draft response to the Minister of Education on the proposed video. Following discussion the response was agreed subject to a number of amendments and additions.

The Chairman informed the Committee that an invitation to all members to the launch of the video on Monday 11 March had been received from the Department of Education. Members agreed to inform the Clerk if they wished to attend.

5. Discussion with officials from the Belfast Education and Library Board on the Capital Building Programme 2002

The Committee agreed to schedule the meeting on 21 March 2002 for 12.30 p.m. due to other events.

The Chairman welcomed Mr Barry Mulholland, Mr Nathan Todd, Mr William McIntaggart and Mr Michael McCorry, to the meeting to discuss the Capital Building Programme 2002. A short presentation by the officials was followed by a question and answer session which covered the following issues:

• the timescale for the Belfast Education and Library Board to identify and submit priorities to the Department of Education;
• the process by which the Belfast Education and Library Board identified its priorities for each year's programme;
• why some identified priorities were not ready to proceed and were therefore not considered by the Department for inclusion in the programme;
• the method and costs involved in producing an Economic Appraisal;
• the use of PPP versus traditional procurement routes for capital building
  purposes; and
• how much information was provided to individual schools.

Mr Hamilton left the meeting at 11.50 a.m.

The Chairman thanked the officials for a very useful and informative discussion and they left the meeting.

6. Discussion with officials for the Southern Education and Library Board

The Chairman welcomed Mr Aidan McGee and Mr Ronnie Gregg to the meeting to discuss the Capital Building Programme 2002. A short presentation by the officials was followed by a question and answer session which covered the following issues:

• the timescale for the Southern Education and Library Board to identify and submit priorities to the Department of Education;
• the process by which the Southern Education and Library Board identified its priorities for each year's programme;
• the method and costs involved in producing an Economic Appraisal;
• why some identified priorities were not ready to proceed and were therefore not considered by the Department for inclusion in the programme;
• the use of PPP versus traditional procurement routes for capital building purposes;
• how much information is provided to individual schools; and
• the timescale for the release of capital building funding to the Board.

The Chairman thanked the officials for a very useful and informative discussion and they left the meeting.

Following a short discussion the Committee agreed that the three remaining Education and Library Boards should be asked to make a written submission to the Committee on the Capital Building Programme and that CCMS should attend a future meeting to discuss the matter further. The Committee also agreed that Departmental officials should attend in the near future to discuss the process further, including financial aspects of it, and answer questions. This discussion would include financial aspects.

Mr McElduff left the meeting at 12.22 p.m.

7. Date and Time of Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Committee was scheduled for Thursday 14 March 2002 at 10.15 a.m. in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.

The Committee was adjourned at 12.30 p.m.

DANNY KENNEDY
Committee Chairman

March 2002

4 March 2002 / Menu / 14 March 2002