John O’Dowd meets Welsh and Scottish Education Ministers to discuss areas for cooperation

Education Minister John O’Dowd has met with the Welsh and Scottish Education Ministers to discuss areas for cooperation, during a two day visit to Wales and Scotland this week.

Minister O’Dowd met with Welsh Government Minsters Huw Lewis, Minister for Education and Skills and Julie James, Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology to discuss a range of issues before making a visit to Fitzalan High School in Cardiff to see the nurture unit and extended school facilities.

Minister O’Dowd then went on to Scotland to meet with Angela Constance, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning.

Speaking during the visit, Minister O’Dowd said:

“The challenge faced by the Welsh and Scottish education systems are challenges that we face also. While my priority is to provide an education system that meets the needs of our young people, I do think there is value is sharing our experiences and understanding how others, in particular those with synergies to our own, are progressing on issues like the development of qualifications and the curriculum. In particular, tackling educational underachievement is a priority for me and I am keen to hear the views of others and benefit from any shared learning. My visit has identified some areas that might lend themselves to practical cooperation between the north of Ireland and Wales and Scotland and my officials will now take this forward.

“I would also like to thank the teachers and pupils at Fitzalan High School for their hospitality, in particular the nurture and extended school teams. Getting out to schools and meeting young people is the most enjoyable aspect of my job as Minister and it is always of interest to see how schools bring the curriculum to life within their classrooms.”

Welcoming Minister O’Dowd to Cardiff, Welsh Education Minister, Huw Lewis said:

“Here in Wales we are currently going through a programme of education reform, focussed on raising standards across the board. This includes our exciting and challenging work, along with our partners, to develop a curriculum for Wales.

I was delighted to share details of our experiences with my counterpart in Northern Ireland, and also learn more about the range of work going on there. Fundamentally as Education Ministers, we both want to deliver the best possible outcomes for our learners, and it is good to be able to share experiences and identify areas where we can potentially work together in the future.”

Welcoming Minister O’Dowd to Scotland, Cabinet Secretary Constance said:

“This was a good opportunity to discuss issues common to pupils, teachers and policy-makers on both sides of the Irish Sea. There is a shared ambition to give every child the best start in life and we know that great teaching and a quality education play a critical role in achieving that.

Building on Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence, we are developing and supporting new approaches to boost educational achievement and make quicker progress in closing the ‘attainment gap’ between disadvantaged children and their peers. I was pleased to be able to hear about the work Minister O’Dowd is taking forward and look forward to exploring further where we might seek opportunities for collaboration or shared learning.”

 

Notes to editors: 

1. The Department of Education’s ‘Education Works’ campaign promotes the value of education. This year’s campaign aims to ensure that parents have information on schooling and that they are aware of the steps they can take to ‘Get Involved’ and support their teenager in achieving good outcomes at school. Watch out for the ads on television, radio and outdoor locations. The campaign highlights the vital role families can play in helping children do well at school and improve their life chances. Visit nidirect - Education Works for more information or watch the TV ad on the Department’s YouTube channel.
2. See photos from the Department of Education in our flickr collection.
3. Media enquiries to the Department of Education Press Office Tel: 028 9127 9207. Out of office hours, contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 99 715 440, and your call will be returned.

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