AQW 48469/22-27 – Cost of revised nutritional standards for school food

Posted on by pete baker

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education, pursuant to AQW 47406/22-27, to detail the estimated annual cost of implementing the revised nutritional standards for school food, agreed following the departmental review in 2021. Minister of Education: The cost estimates made as part of the review of the nutritional standards for school … Continue reading AQW 48469/22-27 – Cost of revised nutritional standards for school food

AQW 48470/22-27 – Use of Artificial Intelligence in schools

Posted on by pete baker

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education whether any assessment has been made of the potential impact of the use of Artificial Intelligence in schools on safeguarding. Minister of Education: Guidance on the use of Generative AI was issued to education professionals through DE Circular 2026/02 on 11 May 2026. This … Continue reading AQW 48470/22-27 – Use of Artificial Intelligence in schools

AQW 48102/22-27 – Artificial Intelligence educational support

Posted on by pete baker

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education whether any assessment has been made by his Department of the potential for Artificial Intelligence tools to improve access to educational support for children with special educational needs and disabilities in rural areas. Minister of Education: Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is not a replacement … Continue reading AQW 48102/22-27 – Artificial Intelligence educational support

AQW 48666/22-27 – Impact of social media use on educational outcomes

Posted on by pete baker

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education whether any assessment has been made by his Department of the impact of social media use on educational outcomes for children and young people. Minister of Education: The department has not undertaken a specific standalone assessment of the impact of social media use on … Continue reading AQW 48666/22-27 – Impact of social media use on educational outcomes

AQW 48760/22-27 – Department of Education designated lead on AI

Posted on by pete baker

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education whether his Department has a designated lead or responsible officer on his Department's use of Artificial Intelligence. Minister of Education: My Department does not currently have a designated lead or responsible officer for its use of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”). The Department’s use of AI … Continue reading AQW 48760/22-27 – Department of Education designated lead on AI

AQW 47761/22-27 – Sign language fluency in schools

Posted on by pete baker

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education to detail any steps he has taken to increase sign language fluency in schools. Minister of Education: Provision for sign language in education sits alongside wider arrangements to support children and young people with additional needs to access the curriculum and participate fully in … Continue reading AQW 47761/22-27 – Sign language fluency in schools

AQW 44297/22-27 – Improving SEND provision in mainstream schools

Posted on by pete baker

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education to detail any steps he is taking to help improve SEND provision in mainstream schools. Minister of Education: My department and the Education Authority (EA) are working intensively to improve special educational needs (SEN) provision in mainstream schools. Members are aware that I wrote … Continue reading AQW 44297/22-27 – Improving SEND provision in mainstream schools

AQW 47762/22-27 – Free school meals

Posted on by pete baker

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Education whether any recent assessment has been made of the potential merits of providing free school meals to all school children. Minister of Education: Free school meals (FSM) continue to provide vital help to many low-income families. For some children, access to a nutritious school … Continue reading AQW 47762/22-27 – Free school meals