Unpacking the complexities and challenges of education in Northern Ireland: Stimulating debate with Ulster University’s Transforming Education project

Stephen Roulston (Contributor), Clare McAuley (Contributor), Sammy Taggart (Contributor), Sally Cook (Contributor), Barbara Skinner (Contributor), Matthew Milliken (Contributor), Koulla Yiasouma (Contributor)

Research output: Other contribution

Abstract

The rationale for how education operates is often contentious. There are varying views about academic selection, politicians disparage some degrees while lauding others, private schools’ charitable status is disputed … and so on. However, in Northern Ireland, schooling largely replicates profound British/Protestant and Irish/Catholic societal divisions.

Some researchers/teacher educators choose to avoid researching the divisions in the system – it may be considered much safer for career advancement to look at literacy, school retention, academic outcomes, and so on. However, a small team of researchers at Ulster University decided to step outside their comfort zone and write a series of ‘Transforming Education’ papers to stimulate debate on aspects of the Northern Ireland education context. While using a rigorous academic approach, these briefing papers were designed to be short and accessible. The researchers used them to explore (and expose on social and traditional media platforms) some of the little-understood and frequently overlooked issues that lie at the foundations of a system in need of a fundamental overhaul. The eight blog posts in this special issue are based on these discussion papers.

The focus of this special issue is not to advance any partisan view but to unpack the complexities of Northern Ireland’s education context in order to promote debate among parents and prospective parents, politicians and decision-makers, among the wider public and within the profession itself.

The contributions explore:

the rationale for Ulster University’s Transforming Education project and what it set out to do
the strengths, while also naming the ‘dark’ secrets, of ‘learning apart’ in the Northern Ireland education landscape
some of the challenges of duplication within Northern Ireland’s education system
the complex role that religion plays in Northern Ireland’s schooling system
the impacts of academic selection
whether Citizenship Education in Northern Ireland has lived up to its vision
an opinion piece applauding Integrated schools as a small step along the road to unity
reimagining an education system in Northern Ireland; one which reconsiders governance, the role of churches, academic selection and Citizenship Education.

Original languageEnglish
TypeBERA Blog Special Issue
Media of outputBlog
Publication statusPublished (in print/issue) - 25 Oct 2024

Keywords

  • Northern Ireland
  • Education
  • Transforming Education
  • Division
  • Duplication

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