Givan: Education is the foundation of everything we aspire to be

Date published: 8 May 2025

Bringing together over 600 delegates, the conference will focus on key areas within the TransformED NI Strategy, including curriculum, assessment, accountability, improvement and professional learning.

Education Minister Paul Givan said: 

“On the 11th of March, I launched the TransformED strategy, and just last week, a Delivery Plan that will turn that ambition into action. Today’s conference provides an opportunity to engage with school leaders and to talk about what TransformED means for our schools and for the future of our children.

“Education is the foundation of everything we aspire to be as a society. It shapes our economy, our communities and our shared future. When we get education right, we unlock opportunities for every child, we close the gaps of disadvantage and we build a prosperous, inclusive, and united future.

“That is why TransformED isn’t just a strategy—it’s a promise. A promise to every child that they will have access to a world-class education. A promise to every teacher and school leader that you will be supported, valued and empowered. A promise to every parent that their child’s capabilities will be nurtured, no matter their circumstances.”

Paul Givan continued: 

“Our education system has been under considerable stress for a sustained period and I recognise the challenges that our teachers and school leaders face daily. My goal is to reform and revitalise our education system, to invest meaningfully in our educators and to ensure that those who shape the future are themselves valued and sustained.

“Investing in education means investing in knowledge; in giving every child an opportunity to thrive; in promoting creativity and improving well-being.  It is the most important investment we can make in our future.

“We must therefore be ambitious for every child and bold for our plans for reform and ensure our education system is world leading - excellent, equitable, inclusive and able to meet the needs of all children and young people in an ever-changing world.”

During the conference, delegates will hear from an international panel of experts, including: -

• Lucy Crehan, who will outline the recurring themes and initial findings from the Strategic Review of the Northern Ireland Curriculum that she was commissioned to carry out in October 2024.
• Daisy Christodoulou, who will speak to conference delegates about the importance of high standards and the centrality of knowledge in education – including the relationship between knowledge and skills and how assessment and system level data can drive improvement.
• Tim Oates, who will discuss the power of effective accountability and explained how it sits within the key factors driving and maintaining quality of education.
• Bradley Busch, who will highlight the importance of becoming an evidence-informed education system.
• Hardip Begol, who will outline the findings from the 2014 curriculum reform in England and share what made the reforms successful, what should have been better and lessons for Northern Ireland as it embarks on reform.
• Dr Nina Hood, who will explain the process for ensuring evidence informs policy and practice to conference delegates. Highlighting the challenges and opportunities of such an approach, Nina will share her experience in New Zealand when transforming literacy instruction.
• Harold Hislop, who will present on the importance of investing in teachers’ professional development, emphasising that teachers are the key deliverers of any improvement or change in the education system.