Ep 42: Transforming education in Northern Ireland

NSS head of education Alastair Lichten is joined by Sam Fitzsimmons and Matthew Milliken to discuss the range of challenges facing Northern Ireland's divided education system, and their hopes for its future.

Sam works for the Integrated Education Fund, a charity that supports inclusive, integrated education. You may remember our interview with Sam on episode 21 of the podcast.

Matthew is a researcher at the University of Ulster who has worked on Transforming Education, a major series of papers exploring the roots of religious control of schools and its current impact.

Northern Ireland has perhaps the most religiously segregated education system in the democratic world - and a particularly urgent need for change. With religious interests heavily entrenched, efforts to create a more inclusive alternative have been painfully slow. However, as part of the New Decade, New Approach which restored devolution last year, an independent review has been launched that could recommend significant changes.

Watch this episode on YouTube | Direct MP3 Link | Transcripts

Follow Emma on Twitter: @DrEmmaPark

Notes

• Ep 21: Integrated education in Northern Ireland - interview
• A thread from Alastair Lichten reviewing the Transforming Education series
• Make Northern Ireland's schools integrated and secular, say MLAs
• Transforming Education – Ulster University
• The Integrated Education Fund

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