Unionist political leaders need to raise aspirations: O’Dowd

He says over the next two years he will be providing funding to recruit 230 extra teachers to improve the literacy and numeracy of pupils most at risk of underachieving.

Mr O’Dowd said £1m per year will be used in developing literacy and numeracy programmes in disadvantaged areas and a further £2m per year will be used to develop community initiatives to increase family and community involvement in education.

Mr O’Dowd was challenged by United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) MLA David McNarry to say what exactly he is doing to tackle educational under-achievement in Protestant working class areas.

He outlined a range of steps already implemented including the Achieving Londonderry-Bright Futures programmes and SureStart.

But he added: “More needs to be done, especially in areas of social deprivation. The key now is to step up the pace of implementation and delivery of these policies and to maintain the focus on raising standards to ensure that every pupil is able to achieve to their full potential.

“There is also an important role to be played by Unionist political leaders in raising educational awareness and aspiration in socially deprived communities.”

He said academic selection is a barrier to addressing underachievement in disadvantaged communities.

“It damages children’s confidence, their motivation to learn, and lowers their expectations of themselves contributing to the high levels of underachievement we are seeking to tackle,” he said

“That is why academic selection needs to end now and my Department is working to bring that about.”

Mr O’Dowd announced an additional £3m in funding on March 1 to be targeted at raising educational standards in each of the next two years.

“£1m per year will be used in developing literacy and numeracy programmes in disadvantaged areas. A further £2m per year will be used to develop community initiatives to increase family and community involvement in education,” said the Minister.