McIlveen announces extra £7.6M for Engage II programme

Education Minister, Michelle McIlveen has today announced a further £7.6m for the Engage II programme to support children and young people’s learning for the remainder of this academic year.

Announcing the extra funding the Minister said: “This additional £7.6m for the Engage II programme will allow schools to continue delivering this important programme until the end of this academic year.  

“This successful programme is helping to limit the impact of Covid-19 by supporting pupils’ learning and engagement, along with their social, emotional and mental health and wellbeing.”

The Minister highlighted the wide range of educational settings that are currently delivering the programme.

She said: “I am pleased that almost 1,700 educational settings are benefiting from this programme, including primary and post-primary schools, Special schools, EOTAS centres, and funded pre-school education settings (i.e. nursery units, nursery schools and non-statutory pre-school education settings which participate in the Pre-School Education Programme).”

“Working closely with pupils, settings are designing and delivering additional support to meet the needs of those children and young people who are in the greatest need and will benefit most from the extra support.

Concluding the Minister said: “Engage II is making a real difference in the lives of those children and young people who have been most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.  I am therefore delighted that I can support educational settings in continuing to deliver its benefits for the rest of this academic year.”

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