Education Minister hits back at Northern Ireland's teaching unions - saying school inspections protect vulnerable children
Leaving schools uninspected because of an industrial dispute which has rumbled on for almost a decade is stopping education authorities from checking whether child safeguarding in Northern Ireland’s schools is effective, Paul Givan has said.
The DUP education minister has hit back at trade union criticism of his proposals to introduce the same legal requirement for teachers to co-operate with inspections that is in place elsewhere in the UK.
He said leaving education as “one of the only public services without external inspection” would be a “significant failure”.
The education minster’s plans – now out for consultation – mean teachers in Northern Ireland would be fined for not taking part in inspections by officials.
Last week, a representative of the five main teaching unions here said Mr Givan’s announcement of a public consultation could destabilise “fragile” negotiations over workload – labelling them “disappointing”.
The unions were responding to an announcement by Mr Givan on Thursday that his department would consult on proposals to strengthen co-operation with the inspection process.
The changes to the law would protect inspections by making it an offence to obstruct the process – including a fine of up to £2,500.
Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where obstructing or non-cooperation with inspection is possible without sanction. Due to ‘action short of strike’ by teaching unions, local schools have not been taking part in the system – a key part of ensuring they are meeting their obligations, including on child safeguarding.
The consultation also points out that the other parts of the UK have not had to resort to prosecution.
Mr Givan told the News Letter: “Inspections are vital to the safeguarding and wellbeing of our children, as well as to ensuring they receive a high-quality education. They help us to understand what is working well in schools and critically where support is required.
“School inspections in Northern Ireland have been significantly disrupted for almost a decade as teaching unions here have directed their members to refuse to cooperate with inspectors as part of action short of strike.
“The Independent Review of Education (December 2023) highlighted the need for school inspections as there is a lack of accountability when industrial action takes place.
“In the rest of the United Kingdom and in Ireland, the law sets out a clear requirement for schools to co-operate with inspections. The current consultation sets out the department’s proposals to introduce the same legal requirements in Northern Ireland.
“Organisations across public life are inspected – care homes, restaurants, hospitals, prisons and the police service. To continue to leave our children, including our most vulnerable children, in schools as one of the only public services without external inspection for long periods of time, would represent a significant failure for the department and for public service delivery in Northern Ireland.
“I recently commissioned an independent review of all aspects of teachers’ workload, and I am committed to making progress on the issues. However, we need to protect the interests of children and inspections play a key role in evaluating the effectiveness of arrangements for child protection and safeguarding.”
On Friday, Mark McTaggart – secretary of the NI Teachers’ Council – criticised the timing of the minister’s proposals. The organisation represents the five largest teaching unions in Northern Ireland.
He said: “While the announcement of the proposals to change the law to protect inspection by making it an offence to obstruct the inspection process by Minister Givan yesterday has come as no surprise to the Northern Ireland Teachers’ Council, it is disappointing that this announcement comes in the middle of ongoing work agreed as part of the outworkings of the latest pay deal.
“An independent panel has been set up to tackle issues around teacher workload that is to report in November.
“We would encourage the minister to wait for the outcome of this review before engaging in such a consultation which has the potential to destabilise an already fragile situation.”
But Mr Givan said: “A failure to safeguard inspection, is a failure to safeguard our children. I encourage all those with an interest in this important area especially parents across Northern Ireland to contribute to the consultation.”
Last month, teachers in Northern Ireland accepted a new pay offer – removing the threat of strike action. As part of that agreement, an independent review to cover all aspects of teacher workload was commissioned.