Disadvantaged Pupils Face 'Greater Obstacles' - O'Dowd

Pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds have greater obstacles to overcome and their schools need additional resources to help them, according to Education Minister John O'Dowd.

The Minister made the comments during an Assembly motion on the 'Underachievement of Working Class Protestant Boys'.

"This is why I recently announced changes to the way schools are funded. Those most in need deserve additional funding to achieve their full potential," he said. "I have also earmarked an additional £4million for a Community Educational Initiatives Programme and I am funding the Greater Shankill Partnership Community Project. Other school-community programmes such as Sure Start and Extended Schools are important in assisting children and their families to address educational under-attainment."

Commenting on the findings of the recent third Peace Monitoring Report by the Community Relations Council, the Minister said the division into grammar and non-grammar schools in Northern Ireland "facilitates a form of social segregation".

"Academic selection is not in any way compatible with the Executive’s priorities in terms of tackling disadvantage, building a strong and shared community and growing a sustainable economy," he remarked.

"The continued use of academic selection by grammar schools is a barrier to addressing underachievement in disadvantaged communities. It damages children’s confidence and their motivation to learn, and it lowers their expectations of themselves, contributing to the high levels of underachievement we are seeking to tackle. That is why academic selection needs to end now."

Reflecting on the improvements that have been made, John O’Dowd said: "We have made progress that we can be proud of in recent years, our primary school pupils perform exceptionally well when compared with their peers around the world and the attainment of our post-primary pupils is improving year on year. But I am on record as saying that we need to do more; to aspire to a faster pace of progress. Ensuring that young people see their time in education as a passport to their future is crucial and therefore they must have access to courses that interest and motivate them as well as assist them in choosing careers."

(IT/MH)