Debate contribution: Supporting Learning Pathways for our Young People

Debate contribution by Ms Cara Hunter on 4 February 2025.

MLA

Ms Cara Hunter

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

4 February 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Supporting Learning Pathways for our Young People

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4779555

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I support the motion, which, rightly, underscores the crucial role that education plays in shaping the future of our young people, and, by extension, our society and our economy. Education is about more than just academic achievement. It is about equipping our children and young people with the skills, confidence and opportunities that they need in order to thrive in life. It is about ensuring that no child is left behind, regardless of where they come from, their background or their beliefs. The debate is about the importance of education to our young people, so hopefully the Minister can mention the education maintenance allowance (EMA) in his response. I am mindful of the fact that Wales has moved to increase EMA. The allowance was introduced in 2004, but I do not believe that it has been increased since 2013. It is around £30 at the minute. I know, Minister, that you think that it is important to have our children and young people in education until the age of 18, so we should look at EMA, given that it is an incentive that helps support our young people to deal with the financial pressures that they may face.

We have seen the impact of the cost of living and inflation on our students, particularly during the COVID crisis, so there needs to be a second look at and an increase in the rate of EMA. It would be brilliant if the Minister could detail whether he has had any discussions with the Economy Minister on that.

Education is the foundation of a prosperous and equitable society. It develops talent, nurtures ambition and opens doors to opportunities that might otherwise have remained closed. In the North, we pride ourselves on having a strong education system, but we must acknowledge, as we are doing today, that challenges remain. Our system must not only serve the high achievers but provide meaningful and accessible pathways for all students, academic and vocational alike. In the North, across our homes and schools, there is often a tendency to lean in and fixate on the idea of university, which neglects the incredible opportunities that different pathways can offer our young people, particularly via apprenticeships. Every child is different. Every student has unique skills, interests and aspirations, and it is our duty to ensure that our education system reflects that diversity. For too long, there has been an overemphasis on traditional academic routes, while vocational and technical education has not been given the recognition or the investment that it so rightfully deserves. We need an education system that values all forms of learning so that a young person pursuing a technical apprenticeship is given the same respect and support as a young person applying for university. We need a system in which our sixth-form pupils can really prosper. Recently, in my constituency, in Coleraine, we saw the opening of the brand new Northern Regional College building, with its incredible opportunities and resources and its staff, who offer so much to our young people. We really want to see our sixth-form colleges and further education colleges collaborating — working hand in hand rather than competing with each other — to ensure the prosperity of our young people. On the role of our schools and educators, our teachers and school staff are at the heart of the system and of building up our young people. They work tirelessly to support our students, often going beyond their formal responsibilities to mentor, guide and inspire, but they cannot do that alone. We need proper funding, adequate resources and a fair per-pupil funding model that allows us to support every student, regardless of their need, particularly post-16, when many feel lost and pressured to choose a pathway. The South has a good approach to that dilemma, offering students the option of a transition year to learn by doing and going outside traditional education and into the world to try something new. It is important to include that point in the today's debate. It is evident that we do not do enough to fund our sixth-form students and we need to do more. It is not just an education issue; it is an economic issue. We face significant skills shortages across key sectors from engineering and construction to digital technology and, of course, healthcare. If we do not address that, we will not only fail our young people but undermine our potential for further economic growth here. My call to action today is that we must ensure that our education system prepares students for the real world and an evolving job market. That is why we call on the Minister of Education to look further into the funding model. We need a system that adequately supports all learning pathways, including apprenticeships and vocational training, and aligns with our economic needs. With that, we can ensure that every young person has a pathway to success. Lastly, it is important for border communities that we look North and South to see how our schools can collaborate further, utilise one another's resources, learn from one another and gain new insights.

853 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:52 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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