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Further Education

Volume 24: debated on Monday 17 May 1982

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asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students under 15 years of age and how many students between 15 and 16 years of age are attending further education colleges in Northern Ireland.

Annual returns from the colleges of further education indicate the age of enrolled students as at 31 December. At 31 December 1980, the latest date for which returns are available, there were 38 full-time students aged under 15 years and 2,040 full-time students aged 15 years attending colleges of further education in Northern Ireland. These figures exclude 14-year-olds transferred to the two technical high schools in Craigavon under the special arrangements for secondary education in this area.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many responses he has had to his document "Towards a New Policy for 15 to 18 year olds in Full-Time Education in Northern Ireland"; and if he will make a statement.

Comments were invited by 30 April 1982 on the implementation of the policy set out in this document. Over 30 comments have been received from various interests, including education and library boards, teachers" unions and educational institutions and more are expected. I will make a statement when I have considered all the views expressed.