Northern Ireland has hosted the fifth meeting of the UK Education Ministers’ Council (EMC), bringing together senior education leaders to discuss teacher professional learning and the ongoing challenges of recruitment and retention.
Education Minister Paul Givan welcomed ministers and officials from across the UK to Laurelhill Community College in Lisburn. Attendees included Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education, Lynne Neagle, Cabinet Secretary for Education in Wales, and senior officials from the Scottish Government.
Speaking at the meeting, Givan said it was a pleasure to host the council in Northern Ireland for the first time. He said the EMC provides a valuable forum for strengthening long-standing relationships between the UK’s education systems, sharing best practice, and learning from policies and working methods beyond individual jurisdictions.
“Meetings such as this give us important opportunities to better understand how others work, share experience, and agree ways of supporting the teaching profession right across the United Kingdom in the years ahead,” he said.
The UK Education Ministers’ Council was established in January 2022 and has previously met in England, Scotland and Wales. Meetings are held on a regular basis to allow ministers to collaborate on shared priorities.
During the Lisburn meeting, ministers heard presentations from Northern Ireland’s four initial teacher education institutions — Stranmillis University College, St. Mary’s University College, Queen’s University Belfast, and Ulster University. Discussions focused on the range of teacher training routes available, the growing role of technology in teaching, postgraduate study opportunities, and how teachers are prepared to support children and young people with special educational needs.
Givan said that while each UK jurisdiction operates a distinct education system, ministers share a common aim.
“We all want to continuously improve the quality of teaching and learning for the benefit of children, young people, teachers and the wider education system,” he said, adding that ministers remain committed to that shared goal.
During the meeting, Phillipson reaffirmed the UK Government’s commitment to its obligations under the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper, including work on school twinning initiatives. Givan welcomed the engagement so far and acknowledged progress already being made on the project.
It was agreed that the Welsh Government will host the next meeting of the UK Education Ministers’ Council.
