AQW 47439/22-27

Miss Nuala McAllister
Alliance Party
North Belfast

Tabled Date: 29/05/2026
Answered On Date: 11/06/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education whether implementation of the Literacy Framework will include resourcing to ensure that every primary school has library.

Answer:

Strong Foundations, the Department’s Literacy Framework, does not prescribe how schools should provide access to reading materials. Schools provide access to books in a variety of ways, including through class libraries, school libraries, or a combination of both, and are best placed to determine the most appropriate arrangements for their setting. The Framework therefore does not introduce a requirement for a library in every primary school, nor does it provide for associated central resourcing.

In this context, neither the Department nor the Education Authority holds a comprehensive register of library provision in individual schools. The Education Authority supports schools through its statutory Education Library Service, including advice on library development and access to resources such as book purchasing.

The Literacy Framework, together with the wider TransformED programme, places a strong emphasis on access to engaging, high-quality texts and the creation of reading-rich environments to support reading for pleasure.