AQW 29227/22-27
Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford
Tabled Date: 25/06/2025
Answered On Date: 29/06/2025
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to outline the remit of the independent research agency delivering teachers’ focus groups on key issues and challenges, on 25 and 26 June 2025.
Answer:
Planning work for the focus groups commenced in late May 2025. The purpose of the groups is to gather authentic insights into the perspectives of both teachers and parents on a wide range of education topics, which will support my Department in developing effective approaches, policies and programmes. The use of such groups is common across government and the employment of trained moderators, adept at creating neutral, open environments that encourage honest and diverse feedback, is designed to minimise bias and ensures that the data collected is reliable, objective and rigorous. A full report on the outcomes of the groups will be completed by the end of July 2025. The short window for teacher recruitment was to facilitate the groups taking place before the summer holidays. This had no significant impact on recruitment, with over 800 teachers expressing interest in participation. Government conducts ongoing wide-ranging engagement with multiple stakeholders on a significant range of issues. Stakeholder consultation and engagement is at the heart of good government. There is no anticipated impact of four teacher focus groups assembled to discuss a wide variety of education issues on engagement with the Independent Teacher Workload Panel. Indeed, the Panel’s engagement is scheduled for August. There is no requirement for consultation with Teaching Unions prior to a request for voluntary engagement and my officials regularly engage with practitioners across the education system. Total costs of the project are £23,470 and an approved business case is in place.
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