First day at school for new Education Minister

It is the first day of school for the new Education Minister.

Michelle McIlveen has visited North Belfast's Ballysillan Primary School on her first day in the new role.

The Strangord MLA, who is a former history teacher, formally took up the reins from Peter Weir yesterday.

Her first task was presenting the Derrytrasna Pastoral Care Award for exceptional emotional support mechanisms in the school.

There was a joyful atmosphere in the playground where the Minster was interviewed, as children played with rainbow coloured parachutes behind her.

Downtown Cool FM asked the Minister if any of this first-day joy was marred by how the appointment came about - through the ousting of now former Ministers.

"It is a very difficult time and I very much appreciate that," she said.

"Obviously changes will happen, I'm still close to those members and obviously Peter Weir who I've replaced is a good friend and colleague within the constituency as well."

The post-primary transfer is at the top of Minister McIlveen's to-do list, as hundreds of pupils had been left without a place in a secondary school next year, as covid-19 threw a spanner in the works of the normal testing and placement system.

More than 23,000 P7 children across Northern Ireland were told on Saturday which school they have secured a place in.

The Education Authority said more than 98% of children have been placed in a school of their choice, with almost 85% securing a place at their first preference school.

Around 280 children were not placed in any school, and some parents hit out stating that they had been failed by the transfer process.

Ms McIlveen said around 129 of those children had been placed from Monday and said she would be working to resolve the other cases.

SHe said: "It's an immediate priority, and we have some good news in relation to quite a significant number of pupils who have been placed since yesterday.

"That will be an ongoing issue over the next number of weeks."

The Minister did not say when it is hopes all students will have received a placement, but added this will be as quickly as possible, by working in tandem with the Education Authority and schools, whilst also consulting parents too.

On the issue of Stormont and fears there could be an imminent collapse of power-sharing because of a stand off about the Irish Language,

Ms McIlveen said the issue is "very fluid".

Sinn Fein has six days left to nominate a Deputy First Minister to join office with the incoming First Minister Paul Givan.

The largest nationalist party has indicated it will not be willing to put forward a DFM unless the DUP honours commitments made regarding legislation to protect the rights of Irish Language speakers.

This could cause another stalemate, and trigger an early election in the Autumn.

Ms McIlveen said: "There has been a commitment made in relation to NDNA (New Decade, New Approach deal which restored devolved government in Jan 2020), but that's a commitment to the delivery of all aspects of that, so that's not just a commitment from the DUP but from other parties as well."

Five parties have today signed a letter calling on the UK and Irish governments to intervene on the issue.

Sinn Fein has also asked NI Secretary, Brandon Lewis, to step in.

Urging Mr Lewis to be cautious around getting involved, she said: "Sinn Fein have taken the opportunity with regards to the transition in order to be able to jump on this as an issue.

"There are other issues which are important for Northern Ireland, with regard to the economy and coming out of the pandemic, issues in relation to education, health and infrastructure.

"I appreciate that they have gone to the Secretary of State and we have seen the Secretary of State involve himself in devolved matters before, and so we urge caution in relation to that, particularly if he wants to respect the devolution package."