COMMITTEE FOR EDUCATION
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Friday, 7 March 2008
Room 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr S Wilson (Chairperson)
Mr D Bradley (Deputy Chairperson)
Mrs M Bradley
Mr P Butler
Mr T Lunn
Mr B McCrea
Miss M McIlveen
Ms M O’Neill
Mr K Robinson
Mr M Storey
In Attendance:
Mr J Simmons (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs K O’Hanlon (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr D Douglas (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms D McKenna (Clerical Officer)
Mr T Moore (Senior Researcher)
Apologies:
The Chairperson opened the meeting at 10.40am in closed session.
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Apologies
There were no apologies.
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Minutes of the Meeting of 29 February 2008
Agreed – the Committee approved the draft minutes of the meeting of 29 February 2008.
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Matters Arising from the Minutes
(a) The Committee noted the response from the Department regarding a Handbook for Special Schools.
(b) The Committee noted the response from the Western Education and Library Board (WELB) on the Pre-consultation on the Future of Controlled/Voluntary Post-Primary Education in Co Fermanagh.
Agreed – the Committee will write to the WELB to ascertain the position regarding this Pre-consultation in light of the Minister’s Statement on area-based planning in the Assembly on 4 March 2008.
(c) The Committee noted the correspondence from the Department regarding the Age Weighted Pupil Unit.
(d) The Committee noted the contents of the letters from the North Eastern and South Eastern Education and Library Boards.
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Correspondence
The Chairperson reminded Members to notify the Clerk of any points of action arising from the Informal Committee Reception held on 18 February 2008 in Parliament Buildings.
Ms O’Neill joined the meeting at 10.49am.
(a) The Committee noted the correspondence from B Haughan.
Agreed – the Committee approved the draft letter to the Department.(b) The Committee noted the letter from the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers.
Agreed – the Committee approved the draft response.(c) The Committee noted the letter from the Climate Change Coalition Northern Ireland.
Agreed – the Committee approved the draft response. The Committee will also forward the correspondence to the Department for comment on the points raised.(d) The Committee the advance notice from the Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health of an event in the Long Gallery, “Investing in Mental Health – A Cultural Imperative”, on 15 April 2008.
(e) The Committee noted correspondence and briefing from Sustrans.
(f) The Committee noted the correspondence from Advice NI.
Agreed – the Committee will ask Advice NI for further information regarding actions for increasing the uptake of free school meals.(g) The Committee noted the letters from Mr J Campbell and Ms M Campbell regarding teachers’ pensions.
(h) The Committee noted the correspondence and background brief regarding Sesame Tree.
(i) The Committee noted the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland’s Annual Report 2006/07.
(j) The Committee noted correspondence from the Buddy Bear Trust.
Agreed – the Committee approved the draft letters to the Department and the Education and Library Boards.(k) The Committee noted Paper No. 26 by Education Reform 21.
(j) The Committee noted the correspondence from Autism NI (PAPA).
Agreed – the Committee approved the draft response.(l) The Committee noted the correspondence from the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure regarding the health benefits of the modernisation programmes of the Gaelic Athletic Association, the Irish Football Association and Ulster Rugby.
(m) The Committee noted correspondence regarding the NIRAN Network and awareness day on 18 April 2008.
Agreed – the Committee approved the draft responses.(n) The Committee noted the North Eastern Education and Library Board’s Annual Report and Accounts 2006/2007.
(o) The Committee noted the Western Education and Library Board’s Annual Report 2006/07.
(p) The Committee noted three Departmental press releases: “Minister Updates Teaching Union on Reforms”; “Ruane Details ‘Area-Based Planning’ Approach”; and “Minister Turns Down Development Proposal for Conlig Primary School.”
Mr Storey joined the meeting at 10.56am.
Mr McCrea joined the meeting at 11.00am.
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Consideration of the Interim Committee Response to the Consultation, ‘Every School a Good School’
The Committee considered its draft interim response to the Department’s consultation, ‘Every School a Good School’.
Agreed – the Committee approved the draft response, with three amendments/additions.
Agreed – the Committee will commission a research paper on school improvement in Finland from the Assembly’s Research and Library Service.
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Transfer to Post-Primary Education
Members discussed a number of issues with regard to the position on transfer to post-primary education from 2010 onwards.
Agreed – the Committee will return to its discussion on this matter at a later date.
Ms O’Neill left the meeting at 11.41am.
Mr Storey left the meeting at 11.43am.
Mr Storey rejoined the meeting at 11.58am.
Ms O’Neill rejoined the meeting at 11.59am.
Mr Storey left the meeting at 12.07pm.
Mr Storey rejoined the meeting at 12.09pm.
Mr Lunn left the meeting at 12.25pm.
Mrs Bradley left the meeting at 12.35pm.
Mrs Bradley rejoined the meeting at 12.43pm.
The meeting was suspended at 12.55pm.
The meeting resumed at 1.15pm.
Miss McIlveen rejoined the meeting at 1.20pm.
Mr Bradley rejoined the meeting at 1.20pm.
The Chairperson left the meeting at 1.30pm.
The Deputy Chairperson took the chair at 1.30pm.
Mrs Bradley left the meeting at 1.30pm.
Miss McIlveen left the meeting at 1.30pm.
Mr Storey left the meeting at 1.30pm.
Mr Butler left the meeting at 1.33pm.
Ms O’Neill left the meeting at 1.33pm.
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Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Friday 14 March 2008 at 10.30am in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.33pm.