Latest releases
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24 releases
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STOP THE CUTS: Don’t Balance the Books on the Backs of our Children!
Aontú calls on the Education Minister, the Department of Education and the Education Authority to halt proposed education cuts, including a further £20 million in reductions, and to reverse changes to SEN transport and school meal charges. The party also urges restoring school programme funding…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Authority further £20 million education cuts announcement Original release: STOP THE CUTS: Don’t Balance the Books on the Backs of our Children! (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Huge support for all pupils having the option to wear trousers – Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason welcomes the strongly positive response to a survey by the Education Committee on a plan guaranteeing all pupils the right to wear trousers, with about 98% in favour. She says the School Uniform Bill was a missed opportunity and calls for it to pass before next year's…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Committee survey on pupils' right to wear trousers Original release: Huge support for all pupils having the option to wear trousers – Mason (opens in a new tab)
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Cllr Flynn welcomes supreme court ruling on religious education in schools
Green Party councillor Flynn welcomes the Supreme Court judgment on compulsory religious worship in Northern Ireland schools, urging the Executive to act quickly to overhaul the education framework so pupils from all backgrounds, including non-religious families, feel respected.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Supreme Court ruling on mandatory Christian worship in NI schools Original release: Cllr Flynn welcomes supreme court ruling on religious education in schools (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 20 November 2025 (opens in a new tab)
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Amendments to School Uniform Bill would benefit families and young people – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan has re-submitted amendments to the School Uniforms Bill to reduce family costs, proposing limits on branded items, generic alternatives, girls' right to wear trousers, support for children with additional needs, and uniform banks and swap schemes.
Education Disability and equality Issue: School Uniforms Bill amendments re-submitted in the Assembly Original release: Amendments to School Uniform Bill would benefit families and young people – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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‘DUP has squandered the opportunity to cut uniform costs’ – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan says the DUP has missed an opportunity to cut school uniform costs after key amendments to the School Uniforms Bill were not accepted. He says the proposals included limiting branded items, allowing generic alternatives, and supporting uniform banks.
Education Disability and equality Issue: School Uniforms Bill amendments omitted Original release: ‘DUP has squandered the opportunity to cut uniform costs’ – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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TUV Challenges Irish Medium Sector on Lack of Newcomer Intake
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston calls for urgent scrutiny of the Irish medium sector after Assembly answer figures showed just 20 newcomer pupils in Irish medium primary schools and none in post-primary. He says the sector should take its fair share of newcomer children.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Assembly answer on newcomer pupil enrolment in Irish medium schools Original release: TUV Challenges Irish Medium Sector on Lack of Newcomer Intake (opens in a new tab)
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‘No child should be priced out of a school because of the cost of a uniform’ – Baker
Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker says the School Uniforms Bill offers a chance to modernise uniform policy, and calls for proposals covering affordability, accessibility for children with special educational needs, and allowing girls to wear trousers.
Education Disability and equality Issue: School Uniforms Bill Education Committee sitting Original release: ‘No child should be priced out of a school because of the cost of a uniform’ – Baker (opens in a new tab)
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Sheehan welcomes funding for ‘life-saving’ defibrillators in schools
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan welcomes the announcement that 600 schools will receive defibrillators, saying they will protect students, staff and the wider community. He calls for an emphasis on training and awareness and says the party will work to make the rollout quick and efficient.
Education Health Issue: Education Minister announcement on defibrillators for every school Original release: Sheehan welcomes funding for ‘life-saving’ defibrillators in schools (opens in a new tab)
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A Life-Saving Investment: Defibrillators to be provided to all…
The DUP's Education Minister Paul Givan announces over £700,000 to fund and roll out defibrillators to around 600 schools across Northern Ireland, with all to be installed before the end of the academic year. The release cites a survey finding fewer than half of schools have one on site.
Education Health Issue: Defibrillator funding rollout for Northern Ireland schools Original release: A Life-Saving Investment: Defibrillators to be provided to all… (opens in a new tab)
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Providing defibrillators to schools will save lives: Martin
DUP MLA Peter Martin welcomes the Education Minister's announcement that defibrillators will be funded and rolled out to every school in Northern Ireland, noting over 600 schools still need them and that maintenance and replacement will also be funded.
Education Health Issue: Education Minister announcement on defibrillators for every school Original release: Providing defibrillators to schools will save lives: Martin (opens in a new tab)
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Givan launches new Community of Lifesavers App
Education Minister Paul Givan, of the DUP, launches a free app to help young people learn CPR and defibrillator skills, funded by his department and developed by CCEA with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service. He urges schools to download it.
Education Health Issue: Community of Lifesavers App launch Original release: Givan launches new Community of Lifesavers App (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister must support Irish-Medium education – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan calls on the Education Minister and Department to invest properly in accommodation, specialist teacher training and resources for Irish-Medium schools, some of which have been in temporary accommodation for over twenty-five years.
Education Disability and equality Original release: Education Minister must support Irish-Medium education – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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Grief education and bereavement support in schools needed for student mental health, says Mathison
Alliance Education spokesperson Nick Mathison MLA says change is needed in how schools handle bereavement support and grief education, after sponsoring a Marie Curie child grief event at Parliament Buildings. He backs Marie Curie's push to add grief education to the Northern Ireland curriculum.
Education Health Issue: Marie Curie Children's Grief Awareness Week event at Parliament Buildings Original release: Grief education and bereavement support in schools needed for student mental health, says Mathison (opens in a new tab)
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Pupils can hide their “gender” from parents in NI schools
TUV leader Jim Allister calls on the Education Authority to withdraw and revise its "Supporting Transgender Young People" guidance, claiming it lets schools withhold pupils' gender transitioning from parents. He also says pronoun options in the SIMS school records system should be removed.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Authority "Supporting Transgender Young People" guidance and SIMS pronoun option Original release: Pupils can hide their “gender” from parents in NI schools (opens in a new tab)
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Backwards move to bring abortion into classrooms – Lockhart
DUP MP Carla Lockhart says the Westminster vote on NIO proposals to bring abortion-promoting relationships and sex education into schools is a backward step for Northern Ireland. She argues the region's abortion laws should not be taught to children and calls for more life-affirming laws.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Westminster vote on NIO proposals for RSE in schools Original release: Backwards move to bring abortion into classrooms – Lockhart (opens in a new tab)
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Egan welcomes updated relationship and sexuality education curriculum
Alliance MLA Connie Egan welcomes the Secretary of State's confirmation that he will update the relationship and sexuality education curriculum in Northern Ireland, saying it is overdue given a legal duty to comply with UN CEDAW recommendations on adolescent sexual health.
Education Disability and equality Issue: NIO decision to add abortion access to RSE teaching Original release: Egan welcomes updated relationship and sexuality education curriculum (opens in a new tab)
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An evidence-based RSE curriculum is what is best for our children and young people, says Egan
Alliance education spokesperson and North Down MLA Connie Egan calls for a standardised, inclusive, evidence-based RSE curriculum in schools, following an ETI report finding almost half of Northern Ireland schools teach little or nothing on consent, LGBTQ+ issues and related topics. She says she…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education and Training Inspectorate report on relationship and sexuality education Original release: An evidence-based RSE curriculum is what is best for our children and young people, says Egan (opens in a new tab)
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Harry’s Law must be introduced to end seclusion in schools, urges Egan
Alliance Education Spokesperson Connie Egan MLA welcomes the Department of Health's regional policy limiting restrictive practices in health and social care, and calls for legislation banning seclusion in schools. She says interim Department of Education guidance is not enough and backs 'Harry's…
Education Health Issue: Department of Health regional policy on restrictive practices in health and social care Original release: Harry’s Law must be introduced to end seclusion in schools, urges Egan (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan: New research confirms academic selection not delivering for all young people
SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan says new Stranmillis College research shows academic selection is not working for young people, arguing that scrapping the transfer test alone would not fix problems and calling for a wider cultural change and investment in education reform.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Stranmillis College research on transfer test cancellation and grammar school intake Original release: McCrossan: New research confirms academic selection not delivering for all young people (opens in a new tab)
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Dodds stresses need for proper Education funding
DUP Education spokesperson Diane Dodds MLA says the Independent Review of Education panel was told Education budgets are underfunded, citing real-terms cuts of around £150 million and calling for Education to be treated as 'mission critical'. She also highlights rising Special Educational Needs…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Independent Review of Education panel meeting on school funding Original release: Dodds stresses need for proper Education funding (opens in a new tab)