Education Minister, John O’Dowd MLA, announced (4 September) that an online facility for responding to the consultation on the post- primary area plans is now available.
The Minister said: “On 5 July the five Education and Library Boards published, for public consultation, strategic area plans for the restructuring of post-primary education in their areas. At that time I indicated that the consultation would run for 16 weeks from 5 July to 26 October 2012.
“In July I asked people to read and reflect on the plans before replying, and now they can do so using response questionnaires that are available on the web. They can be completed online or submitted by post to the relevant board. All the information is available at the website http://www.puttingpupilsfirst.info or by contacting the boards.
“I would stress that this is a public consultation. It is not aimed just at the institutions and organisations within the education sector. They will make their views known of course. But I also want to encourage parents, pupils, employers, elected representatives, anyone with an interest in education, to consider the plans carefully and to make their views known. In doing so, I also encourage them to concentrate on the needs of pupils now and in the future rather than on the maintenance of the current school network.
“The views expressed now will be taken into account by the boards in preparing final versions of their plans for my consideration later this year.”
