Irish-medium partners come together
Wednesday 07 July 2010
Collaboration between experts from across Ireland and Scotland will deliver a new range of innovative Irish Medium educational resources.
That was the message from Education Minister Caitríona Ruane today as she addressed a special seminar in Belfast hosted by the Council for Curriculum, Examination and Assessment (CCEA).
The seminar saw the beginning of a collaboration initiative between CCEA and the Scottish organisation Stòrlann Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig to provide a common resource for both Irish and Gàidhlig Medium schools.
The project also involves North-South partnership, with input from the Department of Education and Science (DES), Foras na Gaeilge and An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG).
Opening the event, the Minister said:
Irish Medium is the fastest growing sector of the local education system, seeing significant growth in recent years. There is clear and increasing demand for education at all ages levels delivered in the native language of our island and this is very encouraging.
This new initiative will galvanise links between the sectors in Ireland and Scotland and see an unprecedented pooling of expertise. This will enable the development of a cutting edge range of resources for Irish Medium education, crucially providing equality of provision with English Medium education.
I thank all the organisations from across Ireland and Scotland for their commitment to this progressive and look forward to seeing the results of their hard work in the future.
Richard Hanna, Director of Education Strategy at CCEA said:
A lot has been achieved through the collaboration of the partners here today. The seminar offers a great opportunity to review some of the outcomes of our work together and to explore other opportunities for further development.
This collaborative approach means we can identify common needs and work together to produce high quality outcomes.
More than 40 people attended the event, which also included a performance by the choir of Scoil na Fuiseoige, Belfast.
Scoil na Fuiseoige choir pupils Fionntán Tolan and Rachel McCallin with
Minister of Education Caitriona Ruane and CCEA’s Director of Education Strategy.
