Education JC 11 April 2002

1. The fourth meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council in Education Sectoral Format was held at the Armagh City Hotel, Armagh, on 11 April.

2. The Northern Ireland Executive delegation comprised the Minister for Education, Mr Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA, who chaired the meeting and Mr Dermot Nesbitt, Minister of the Environment. The Irish Government was represented by the Minister for Education and Science, Dr Michael Woods, TD.

3. The Council reviewed progress in each of the issues which the Council had previously agreed were important matters of mutual concern and where co-operation would enhance outcomes. The Council considered the progress reports from all of the Joint Working Groups it had established at an earlier meeting. The Council endorsed proposals for further work by each of the Groups, and welcomed a number of specific actions.

4. The Council noted developments arising from the work of the Literacy and Numeracy Working Group. In particular, the Council welcomed the intention of the Department of Education and Science to increase the participation level of schools in the South in the Pushkin Prizes project. The Council also noted that materials to aid numeracy which were designed in the North are to be disseminated to a number of schools in the South and that a research report is to be published shortly on reading habits of children throughout the island of Ireland. The Council also endorsed proposals from the Literacy and Numeracy Working Group for the development of resource materials and for undertaking and evaluating projects on a joint basis.

5. The Council noted that four Home/School/Community pilot projects in schools in two Education and Library Board areas in Northern Ireland would commence in the new school year starting in September 2002. It was also noted that Home/School/Community Liaison co-ordinators are to be appointed and these will meet their Southern counterparts during a forthcoming study visit. The Council also noted the establishment of the National Educational Welfare Board in the South.

6. The Council welcomed the fact that the Department of Education and Science is preparing a discussion paper on proposals for a Register of persons unsuitable to work with children and young people. Consultations will be undertaken with interested organisations and groups by the end of the summer. It was noted that these proposals will seek to provide a system compatible with that in Northern Ireland.

7. The Council also welcomed the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Bill which is being brought forward for approval by the Northern Ireland Assembly by the Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety. The Bill will provide powers to prohibit or restrict a person's employment in certain circumstances and will include teachers and other people working in the education sector.

8. The Council noted that, as recommended in the Scoping Study by the Centre for Cross Border Studies in Armagh, it had agreed at the previous Council meeting in November 2001 the need for suitable processes and structures to improve the ways in which exchanges are managed and facilitated.

9. The Council considered and endorsed the proposed structure comprising a programme management committee, a standing advisory committee and a joint delivery agency. The two Departments of Education were asked to give effect to the proposed structure and to determine the appropriate legal framework.

10. The Council welcomed a very exciting new development to provide an all-island facility which would provide expert advice and guidance on best practice in the field of diagnosis and assessment of children and young people with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, the training of teachers and other professionals, support for parents, and the development of individual education plans for individuals suffering from these disorders. The Council noted and endorsed the agreement which has been reached between the two Departments and representatives of the St Louis Order for the purchase of the former St Joseph's Adolescent Training Centre, Middletown, County Armagh, for the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in the education of children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The Centre will also include a research and resource facility for ASD and other difficulties, such as dyslexia. As an all-island facility, the Centre will be the first of its kind and will be jointly funded by both Departments and managed by a Board of Management and trustees established on a joint North/South basis.

11. On Special Education, where the initial focus is on Autism and Dyslexia, the Council noted that action was under way to secure the production of the complementary parent and teacher videos/CD-ROMs and guidance material. The Council welcomed the fact that these materials should be available for distribution in the Autumn and looked forward to launching these in due course.

12. In addition, the Council welcomed the publication of four in-depth reports from the Task Forces on Autism and Dyslexia which had been established separately by the Department of Education and the Department of Education and Science. The Reports are the product of extensive discussions by groups of experts in the fields of Autism and Dyslexia and highlight a range of needs in a number of areas. It was noted that the Reports produced in the South have already been published, those in the North will be published formally in the next few weeks. Pre-publication copies of the reports prepared by the Northern Task Groups were received by the Council.

13. The Council further noted that plans are under way for the Centre for Cross-Border Studies to host a Special Education teacher on secondment to organise and facilitate a jointly-funded programme of exchange visits and to develop partnerships among professionals working with children with special educational needs, particularly Autism and Dyslexia. The Council noted that it is intended that the teacher will be in place for the 2002/2003 school year and that the exchange programme would commence early in 2003.

14. The Council noted that invitations to bid for funds to promote school and youth co-operation under Measure 5.5 of the EU Peace 2 programme were opened on 16 January. Thirty-three applications seeking funds amounting to some 9.9 MEUROs were received by the closing date of 15 March. The Council noted that the applications covered a wide range of proposed programmes. The selection panel will complete the selection process by May.

15. It is proposed that the next meeting of the NSMC in the Education Sector will be held in September/October 2002. The meeting will take place in the South.

Joint Secretariat

11 April 2002