Education: A viability audit for schools
Monday, October 10th, 2011Education is to change “from this moment on,” John O’Dowd has stated. agendaNi examines his plans for the system. A viability audit within six months will identify schools experiencing difficulties in enrolments, standards and financial feasibility, following an announcement by the Education Minister. Schools will be judged against the six principles in the sustainable schools policy which have not been implemented rigorously to date: quality education, a stable environment, a sound financial position, strong leadership, strong links to the local community, and stable enrolment...[full story]
Education: Freezing student fees
Monday, October 10th, 2011The decision not to increase tuition fees for local undergraduates will not be replicated for students from England, Scotland or Wales who are considering studying here. Meadhbh Monahan reports. Capping student fees at £3,465 will cost the Executive £85 million over the next three financial years: £15 million in 2012- 2013; £30 million in 2013-2014; and £40 million in 2014-2015. The recurring shortfall will then be £40 million. The Department for Employment and Learning will contribute £41.5 million. This will be matched by the Executive by ‘top-slicing’ the budgets of eight...[full story]
ICT: Amey leading the way technology solutions
Monday, October 10th, 2011Library customers are benefiting from Amey’s innovative technology solutions. Leading public services provider Amey is helping to create ‘Libraries of the Future’ across 99 sites in Belfast, where state-of- the-art technologies will improve the customer experience and generate efficiencies around the clock. As public libraries face unprecedented financial pressures, Amey and Libraries NI are implementing a single computerised library service. New technologies will allow customers to check multiple items in at once, pay charges and return items without assistance from library staff....[full story]
Infrastructure: Priorities for 2011-2015
Monday, October 10th, 2011Three years after ISNI2 was published, agendaNi examines the key infrastructure projects likely to be taken forward by the current Executive. An updated Infrastructure Strategy for Northern Ireland (ISNI3) has been drafted and approved by ministerial special advisers. However, until the Programme for Government is released it is unclear which infrastructure projects will get the green light. ISNI2 was released in 2008 and outlined infrastructure spending from 2008 to 2018. ISNI3 is required because of the economic downturn and budget cuts and will cover infrastructure spending over the...[full story]
Infrastructure: Transforming Lisanelly
Monday, October 10th, 2011An overview of Northern Ireland’s largest school building project. Supporters of the Lisanelly shared educational campus see it as a ‘swords to ploughshares’ project and a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity for Omagh. The rationale for the £100 million scheme is based on the need to replace or substantially renovate schools in the town, its relatively good community relations, and the availability of the former military base. That area has been vacant since 2007 and was gifted to the Executive through last year’s Hillsborough Castle Agreement. The total site is 139 acres: 118 at...[full story]
Skills: Ministerial profile – Stephen Farry
Monday, October 10th, 2011agendaNi considers the new Employment and Learning Minister’s political background and priorities. North Down MLA Stephen Farry took charge of Alliance’s second ministry in May. First elected to the Assembly in 2007, Farry was a councillor on North Down Borough Council from 1993 until 2011. Formerly Alliance’s General Secretary, Farry was also the party’s finance spokesman and sat on the Finance Committee in the last term. The Queen’s politics graduate has been largely put in the spotlight over the issue of higher education tuition fees since his appointment as Employment and...[full story]
