Publications

Education Reform in Northern Ireland

There has been very little legislative reform affecting education in NI in the last five years. There has, however, been a significant amount of policy discussion and consultation.

Much of what has been under consideration can be linked to the realisation of a range of human rights imperatives, including improving access to effective education, providing a relevant curriculum and encouraging tolerance and respect for diversity. It is reassuring to see that the policy objectives are often connected directly to human rights standards.

That said, while the broad (and sometimes specific) intentions may be human rights compatible, much of what has been proposed is still under discussion or has been postponed for various reasons including significant political disagreement about the policy objectives themselves. What will be significant from a human rights perspective will be the impact that these policy initiatives have on individuals’ rights to, in and through education if and when they are translated into practice.