Education Minister Paul Givan has paid a visit to St Cecelia’s College in Derry, where he received a warm welcome despite previously turning down the school’s request to expand numbers from its current 950 to meet demand.
The school said: “This week we had the privilege of welcoming Education Minister Paul Givan to our school community.
“Accompanied by the mayor Lilian Seenoi-Barr, Mr Givan had the chance to speak to pupils about the opportunities presented to them throughout their studies, the wraparound care they receive which attributes to their overall academic success, and to hear more about our work on diversity and inclusion.
“He was keen to congratulate principal Mrs O’Carolan on our recent Dyslexia Friendly Charter Mark awarded by the British Dyslexia Association, and of course he took time to identify some of the challenges facing schools today.
“Mr Givan also had the chance to pop into several lessons including government and politics with Miss Boyle, technology with Mr McCafferty and art with Ms McGlinchey, as well as meeting members of our board of governors.
“It was a busy visit and Mr Givan was so complimentary of our pupils, our staff, and of the great work we are doing here in St Cecilia’s College.”
Last May, in answer to a written Assembly question from SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan on the future of both St Cecelia’s and St Brigid’s College, and whether his department will increase the number of places at the oversubscribed schools, he responded: “My department allocates additional places to schools where oversubscription arises during the competitive admissions process in order to ensure children can access a school place in their area and in their parents’ preferred sector.
“For the purposes of school admissions my department recognises four school sectors, namely denominational; non-denominational; integrated and Irish-medium.
“No child can be guaranteed admission to a particular school.”
During education questions in the Assembly this week Mr Givan told MLAs he had now visited well in excess of 150 schools across the North of Ireland during his time as Education Minister.
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