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| Education report 'unsatisfactory' | Education report 'unsatisfactory' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The Department of Education has been strongly criticised over its attempts to improve literacy and numeracy standards in schools. | The Department of Education has been strongly criticised over its attempts to improve literacy and numeracy standards in schools. |
| Despite spending £40m on schemes, a committee of MPs said progress had been "manifestly unsatisfactory". | Despite spending £40m on schemes, a committee of MPs said progress had been "manifestly unsatisfactory". |
| The Public Accounts Committee in Westminster questioned the Department of Education earlier this year. | The Public Accounts Committee in Westminster questioned the Department of Education earlier this year. |
| In its report, it said the department had "failed to show sufficient leadership in driving things forward". | In its report, it said the department had "failed to show sufficient leadership in driving things forward". |
| The MPs said the situation was "appalling", with a quarter of all children in Northern Ireland leaving primary school with poor ability to read, write and count. | The MPs said the situation was "appalling", with a quarter of all children in Northern Ireland leaving primary school with poor ability to read, write and count. |
| Targets | Targets |
| When standards were not reached by the department, the reaction was simply to relax the targets, the committee said. | When standards were not reached by the department, the reaction was simply to relax the targets, the committee said. |
| It said it expected the Department of Education to "take urgent steps to improve the teaching of literacy and numeracy in schools". | It said it expected the Department of Education to "take urgent steps to improve the teaching of literacy and numeracy in schools". |
| The Department of Education said it accepted the need for improvement and was reviewing the way it tackled literacy and numeracy. | The Department of Education said it accepted the need for improvement and was reviewing the way it tackled literacy and numeracy. |
| What was absolutely clear was that in Northern Ireland, (Catholic) youngsters from deprived working class areas did much better - in terms of results - than did their Protestant equivalents Ian DavidsonLabour MP | |
| In a report published in March, the NI Audit Office was critical of the fact that 25% of children left primary school in Northern Ireland without reaching the expected level in reading and writing. | In a report published in March, the NI Audit Office was critical of the fact that 25% of children left primary school in Northern Ireland without reaching the expected level in reading and writing. |
| About 40% of young teenagers had not reached the mathematics level expected for their age. | About 40% of young teenagers had not reached the mathematics level expected for their age. |
| Labour MP Ian Davidson, a member of the committee, said there was "an enormous discrepancy between Catholic and Protestant children". | |
| "This is particularly in Belfast, in working class areas, which we find very difficult to explain." | |
| The committee had used research carried out in Glasgow for a comparison of education standards between Catholic and Protestant children. | |
| He added: "What was absolutely clear was that in Northern Ireland, (Catholic) youngsters from deprived working class areas did much better - in terms of results - than did their Protestant equivalents. | |
| "Their Protestant equivalents were those who were out from the norm." | |
| 'Alarming proportion' | |
| Barry McElduff of Sinn Fein said the PAC report highlighted a "very serious lack of progress". | Barry McElduff of Sinn Fein said the PAC report highlighted a "very serious lack of progress". |
| "If the Department of Education can tell the assembly PAC committee that it is indefensible that 20% of children left school unable to master the basics of reading and writing in 2002, then surely the fact that there has been negligible improvement in the last four years should tell us that something is not working with the approach," he said. | "If the Department of Education can tell the assembly PAC committee that it is indefensible that 20% of children left school unable to master the basics of reading and writing in 2002, then surely the fact that there has been negligible improvement in the last four years should tell us that something is not working with the approach," he said. |
| John Dallat of the SDLP said the report was "deeply depressing". | John Dallat of the SDLP said the report was "deeply depressing". |
| "In the lifetime of the previous assembly, the PAC made significant progress in exposing the weaknesses in the education system which allows an alarming proportion of children to leave school with appallingly low levels of reading and writing," he said. | "In the lifetime of the previous assembly, the PAC made significant progress in exposing the weaknesses in the education system which allows an alarming proportion of children to leave school with appallingly low levels of reading and writing," he said. |
| "The report brings little comfort because it highlights yet again the need to provide the education back up to address the individual needs of every child according to his or her ability." | "The report brings little comfort because it highlights yet again the need to provide the education back up to address the individual needs of every child according to his or her ability." |