After the Reforms: Education and Policy in Northern Ireland

This text is based extensively on research carried out by a small team of researchers on aspects of educational policy and provision in Northern Ireland. The research was funded by the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights (a Northern Ireland statutory body) and over the 1988-1992 period. The research was completed in January 1992. The work is concerned with the development and characteristics of the segregated school systems in Northern Ireland, and in particular, the extent to which public policy has treated the two systems equitably. In addition, the growth of the integrated education sector (schools with Protestant and Catholic pupils) is examined and a major assessment of parental attitudes is made. While the bulk of this text is concerned with the Northern Ireland, comparative material includes Scotland, England and Canada. Many of the issues dealt with have direct implications for the development of public policy towards education in ethnically plural societies.

Table of Contents:
Education in Northern Ireland, Robert Osborne, Robert Cormack, et al; a historical context to education and church-state relations in Northern Ireland, Seamus Dunn; the financing of education in Northern Ireland, Michael Connolly; public policy and education in Northern Ireland, Matthew Salters and Alex McEwen; the future of education post the Education Reform (NI) Order, 1989 - an education and library board administrator's account, Tom Nolan; the role of the council for Catholic maintained schools in education in Northern Ireland, Paddy McCavera; the education reforms in Northern Ireland - the transferrors' perspective, Houston McKelvey; the introduction of formula funding and local management of schools in Northern Ireland, Penny McKeown; the transfer procedure reformed?, Anne Sutherland; gender and the common curriculum, Valerie Morgan; surveys of integrated education in Northern Ireland - a review, Ed Cairns, Seamus Dunn, et al; integrated education - the views of parents, Alex McEwen and John Salters; community relations, equality and education, Anthony Gallagher, Robert Osborne, et al; rhetoric and reality in Northern Ireland's Catholic secondary schools, Manus O'Boyle; science and funding in Northern Ireland grammar schools, Dominic Murray; the future of higher education in Northern Ireland with particular reference to the University of Ulster, Trevor Smith; teacher education - some policy considerations, Sean Fulton; higher education in Northern Ireland, Robert Cormack and Robert Osborne; higher education and labour market entry - the differing experiences of Northern Irish Protestants and Catholics, Robert Miller, Robert Osborne, et al.