Education Minister welcomes High Court judgment on RAISE Programme
Date published:
Education Minister Paul Givan has welcomed today’s High Court judgment dismissing legal challenges to the Department’s methodology for allocating funding under the RAISE Programme.
The RAISE Programme aims to raise educational achievement and reduce educational disadvantage through a whole community, place-based approach.
The Court found that the Department acted lawfully and rationally in developing a Northern Ireland-wide, place-based approach to funding, using objective indicators of educational need.
Paul Givan said:
“I welcome the Court’s clear and comprehensive judgment that affirms the Department’s approach to delivering the RAISE programme. This initiative is a key part of our commitment to reducing educational disadvantage and improving outcomes for children and young people across Northern Ireland.
“The judgment confirms that the methodology adopted, shortlisting areas based on multiple deprivation measures and prioritising those with the lowest levels of GCSE attainment, was consistent with the programme’s purpose and policy intent.”
The Minister continued:
“Today’s judgment provides certainty and allows the Department to move forward to the next stage and begin to release funding to locality-led projects under the RAISE Programme.
“This funding will not only help raise aspirations and achievement, but it will also enable communities to take a fresh look at the challenges caused by deprivation and work collectively to overcome them.”
The RAISE funding will support projects that promote educational excellence, raise standards, increase pupil attendance, and improve pathways for learners which motivate and support learners at risk of underachievement.
Notes to editors:
1. Letters of Offer will be agreed with the Department and the relevant organisations in the coming weeks.
2. The Locality Led Projects deliver against a series of objectives set out in the Strategic Area Plans and which formed the basis of a call process which was opened on 5 September and closed on 6 October.
3. The RAISE Programme is in receipt of €20m from the Government of Ireland’s Shared Island Initiative.
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