Education and Citizenship
World class education
Northern Ireland’s approach is a partnership between education and youth services to ensure a high standard of education for all children and young people, which will put them at the center of education, motivate them, build their confidence and enrich their lives as well as provide the foundation for a strong and vibrant economy.
Promoting the value of education
With one of the youngest populations in Europe – 45% of our 1.7 million people are under the age of 30 – Northern Ireland is committed to delivering an education system that is child centered, meets the needs of society in the 21st century and has equality at the heart of it.
The Northern Ireland Bureau can help identify and develop education and citizenship links and partnerships.
Key Goals
- Create a desire for learning in young people through positive experiences and stimulating improvement.
- A flexible system to meet the needs of people of all skills and abilities to encourage improvement.
- To foster the personal development of young people, including an understanding of their rights and responsibilities.
- To ensure equality of access to educational and youth service provision and to facilitate parental choice as far as possible.
Strong academic performance
- The number of people holding degrees in Northern Ireland has more than doubled in the last 10 years.
- Northern Ireland students consistently score higher grades in standardized exams than in many UK regions.
- 60% of students stay on in further and higher education to obtain additional qualifications.
Diversity and integration
The Schools Community Relations Program now involves almost 50% of all schools in Northern Ireland. It provides opportunities for young people to develop awareness and understanding of religious, cultural and political diversity within our society.