WELB spearheading numeracy and literacy drive

WELB has been appointed the lead authority to deliver the Department of Education’s (DE) Literacy and Numeracy Signature Programme under the Delivering Social Change framework

First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness explained that the “programme seeks to support improvements in the literacy and numeracy levels within our schools.”

Eighty recently graduated teachers will provide extra support for children in primary schools to achieve the expected levels of Reading and Maths.

Another 150 recently graduated teachers will be appointed to provide additional support to pupils at post-primary who are not predicted to get at least a ‘C’ grade in GCSE English and/or Maths.

WELB will has now set up a Strategic Oversight Group with responsibility for developing regional criteria for the recruitment of teachers and the identification of eligible schools.

“This work is currently underway. It is intended that the additional teachers will be appointed prior to the beginning of the 2013/14 academic year,” the Ministers stated.