To ask the Minister of Education why has he extended the period for schools to apply for shared education funding.

Early implementation of the Delivering Social Change Shared Education Signature Project was adversely impacted by industrial action by Teaching Unions in relation to the statutory assessment process. This resulted in a significant number of schools not being able to progress their four year action plans and in some cases, potential school partnerships deferring application for funding. While industrial action is continuing, agreement was reached with Teaching Unions to allow those school engaged in the Signature Project to proceed with implementation.

The decision to extend the period avoids pupils and schools being negatively impacted by the industrial action and allows schools sufficient time to progress action plans. For those partnerships that decided to proceed, the decision to extend the period allows those schools to extend the scope and/or scale of their action plans.