Debate contribution: Supporting Learning Pathways for our Young People

Debate contribution by Mr David Brooks on 4 February 2025.

MLA

Mr David Brooks

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist 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 4779567

Read the official Assembly record

Text

My colleague Peter Martin has outlined our position on the motion and the amendment. I do not think that anyone in the Chamber would disagree with the lion's share of the motion. There is not a great degree of difference across the Chamber. To paraphrase, the key point is the fundamental importance of education in establishing career pathways and choices for our young people to prepare them to begin those journeys. There is no doubt that the Department of Education has a key role to play in that, but our amendment outlines that it is not in isolation; indeed, the Department for the Economy is key for many of our young people who are aged 16-plus. Education Committee colleagues will know that cross-departmental collaboration on issues that are so obviously cross-cutting and to the benefit of all is something that all members of the Committee have repeatedly focused on, including with the Department for the Economy on careers. Indeed, last year, we held a concurrent meeting with the Committee for the Economy to look at such issues, and, with the Speaker's blessing, that meeting took place in the Chamber. We will soon do likewise with the Committee for Health around a number of areas of concern. We know that work has been ongoing, and I believe that engagement has already taken place between the Minister of Education and his now former counterpart as Minister for the Economy around post-19 pathways for children with special educational needs, notably pushed up the agenda by, among others, Alma and Caleb from Caleb's Cause and the many supporters whom they have assembled through their worthy campaign. It goes without saying that our sixth forms do wonderful work. For many, they are the launch pad into third level, particularly but not exclusively university education. A number of times at the Committee, including at the previously mentioned concurrent Committee, I have said that, in the modern era, pupils are and rightly should be more aware of the plethora of choices available to them in education and training. Many career pathways today rely on advanced apprenticeships or other courses delivered at further education colleges. Some involve training courses provided by private industry, with some firms valuing talent going through their specific training and apprenticeships as highly if not more highly than those with an degree. In my opinion and without in any way denigrating the value of a traditional university education, which I am fortunate enough to have had, having progressed to it in the traditional way of A levels through my school's sixth form, university is a big choice. It comes with significant debt, albeit debt that is different from most and is thought of differently by those who take it on. While university education should retain its standing, it should no longer be seen, as my colleague Cara Hunter said, as more than or better than some of the other available choices. Indeed, the independent review notes that the current imbalance undermines our colleges and is deeply injurious to Northern Ireland's interests. Many of those other choices can equally lead to good careers and excellent salaries and in modern industries that are foundational to today's Northern Ireland economy. Whilst sixth form is something that very many will and rightly should aspire to, it is not the path for every pupil. Nor should it be the aspiration of every school to have a sixth form. I agree with the independent review that it is understandable for post-primary schools to desire or aspire to a sixth form, but it is not realistic for all, and it is not desirable to have sixth forms that are unsustainable in their numbers or can offer only a limited range of subjects. The review puts forward options to secure future sustainability. Some have been touched on today, and I am sure that the Minister and greater educational experts than I will review evidence in the round in considering the future in that regard. Pupils should have access to a range of pathways, but we should not be overly prescriptive about where and how. One thing that I have expressed during Committee discussion on the area is support for the vision of a better balance of collaboration between schools and further education colleges to furnish our pupils with more and better choices to reach their potential, ensuring, I hope, the sustainability of both sixth forms and local colleges. It is not in the interests of our young people or the economy to have school sixth forms and colleges competing with each other as rivals rather than collaborating to deliver a broad choice and an education that is as tailored as possible. Learning on those —.

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker.

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

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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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