Education JC 3 July 2000

1. The second meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council in Education Sectoral Format was held at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra, on 3 July 2000. The first meeting took place on 3 February 2000.

2. The Northern Ireland Executive Committee Delegation comprised Mr. Martin McGuinness, MP, MLA, Minister of Education and Sir Reg Empey, MLA, Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. The Irish Government was represented by the Minister for Education and Science, Dr Michael Woods, TD.

3. At the beginning of the meeting, the Ministers expressed their deep sadness and shock at the tragic and untimely death of Joey Dunlop and extended their condolences to the Dunlop family in their great loss. The Ministers believed that this sense of loss was shared by all the people of the island, North and South, by whom Joey was held in the highest esteem and respect, both for his outstanding achievements in the world of sport and for the modesty and grace with which he carried his fame.

4. Both sides attached deep importance to the role which the Council had to play in developing co-operation in Education, to mutual benefit, and looked forward to working closely together in the Council.

5. The Council considered progress on the matters for enhanced co-operation in Education, which were mandated by the Inaugural Plenary of the North/South Ministerial Council in Armagh on 13 December, 1999. At the first meeting in the Educational Sectoral format, the Council agreed proposals on how best to take forward these matters for co-operation, having regard to the common concerns and interests of both sides. At its meeting on 3rd July, the Council received reports on the progress being made in the interim. In particular, reports were received on progress establishing a North/South Special Education Co-ordination Group, Joint Working Groups on a number of key issues in the area of educational underachievement (pupil attendance/retention, literacy, numeracy and child protection), and a Teachers Working Group to examine a range of issues related to teacher mobility. The working Groups will bring forward proposals to the next meeting of the Council on the priorities which they have identified, the delivery measures they propose to put in place and the projected timescale for addressing and reporting on these tasks.

6. The Council noted that the Centre for Cross Border Studies in Armagh has been commissioned to undertake an evaluation of the range and effectiveness of current initiatives in the area of school, youth and teacher exchanges, and to make recommendations to a Steering Committee, representative of both Administrations, on the adoption of a coherent integrated strategy for the future.

7. The Council reviewed a number of important recent developments in Education in the North/South context. It noted with satisfaction the completion of the very successful Doors Project, a celebration of life-long learning and involving performances in various locations on the island by over 1,700 children and young people from North and South. The Council warmly commended all involved in what was an outstanding initiative.

8. The Council also acknowledged the importance of the Conference "Education - the Challenges to 2020", held in Stranmillis College on 30 May and attended by Minister Woods, Minister McGuinness, Minister Farren, and the U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley. It also noted a substantial volume of activity in the form of conferences, study groups and study visits aimed at sharing expertise and building more effective networks of education professionals. The Council agreed that it would encourage and support these activities in the future in order to facilitate broad co-operation in the education sector in the common interest of both administrations.

9. The Council noted the strategic goals agreed at the meeting of the EU Heads of Government in Lisbon on 23-24 March 2000 in respect of the contribution which can be made by education to the social and economic development of Member States. The Council also took note of the extent of co-operation through EU programmes in recent years and, in the context of the new PEACE II Operational Programme, the Council agreed the range of actions which might be supported on a cross-border basis in the education and youth services sectors. The Council also recognised that 2001 has been designated as the European Year of Languages and that this presented further opportunities for cross-border co-operation to promote the learning of languages. The Council agreed that, in particular, a joint conference would be organised within the framework of the European Year of Languages to address issues of common interest in the area of language learning.

10. The Council agreed that the next meeting in this Sectoral format would take place in the South in the early Autumn.

11. The Council plans to meet on two further occasions in 2000, with locations alternating between North and South.

12. The Council agreed that its next meeting in this Sectoral format would take place in the South in October 2000.

Joint Secretariat

3 July 2000