Scheme to help poorcity kids loses boss

But Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry says the success of the programme is not dependent on the contributions of a single individual.

DUP MLA Thomas Buchanan asked the Minister “in light of the concerns of teachers and schools in Londonderry and Belfast that the quality of provisions and funding for the Step-Up Programme will be diminished, given that the designer and director has been absent from university for over seven months and has now resigned, what action he is taking to address this matter.”

The West Tyrone MLA was referring to the University of Ulster programme, which has been operating successfully in Londonderry since 2000 and Greater Belfast since 2006.

The scheme actively involves the university, schools, local industry, hospitals and government agencies in a collaborative partnership.

Dr Farry explained: “The Step-Up programme has been extremely successful in raising the motivation, aspiration and academic performance of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and has enabled many young people to progress to higher education, including some who would not previously have considered higher education as an option for them.

“The University of Ulster has confirmed that the Step-Up programme remains an important part of its overall widening participation plan and that the university intends to explore new opportunities to extend this very successful model to other economically relevant disciplines.

“The Step-Up programme is a collaboration between the schools, industry and the University of Ulster and as such is not dependent on the contributions of single individual.”

He went on to explain that a new boss will be appointed as soon as possible.

He stated: “The university has confirmed that a new director will be appointed for the Step-Up programme as soon as possible in order to ensure that all Step-Up activities continue to be carried out to a very high standard.

“I believe that ‘Step-Up’ will contribute significantly to the achievement of the objectives set out in Access to Success, my Department’s strategy to widen participation in higher education which I launched on 11 September 2012.

“I am committed to providing continuing funding for the Step-Up programme and will be considering the introduction of similar new programmes within the new strategy.”

The revelation of the departure of the Step-Up head follows a Sentinel report that showed just 25 Protestant boys in receipt of free school meals who attended non-grammar schools throughout Northern Ireland went to university in 2011.

There were even fewer (23) Protestant boys from deprived backgrounds who progressed from grammar schools to university.

The number of poor Protestant girls attending non-grammar schools who went on to university was not much higher at 39. Again, even fewer girls from this background (33) left grammar schools and went on to university.

Overall, just 120 Protestant school leavers entitled to free school meals attending either grammar or non-grammar schools across Northern Ireland went on to university last year.

In response to out report Professor Peter Shirlow wrote: “It is clear that social class still determines lifestyle and outcome and all the more so as we are living in a knowledge driven economy.

“The city of Londonderry with regard to its economic future needs to produce a better educational base. Investors will not come for a low wage economy as they now seek a workforce that is highly trained and educationally capable.”