Language project hampered by management - review

Significant weaknesses in a £1.7m (€2.18m) government project to teach the Ulster-Scots language in Northern Ireland undermined its chances of long-term success, an official review found today.

Management failures, limited involvement of teachers and lack of access to appropriate resources hampered the development of the programme to generate interest in the culture among children and adults, according to the Education and Training Inspectorate.

The Curriculum Development Unit at Stranmillis College in Belfast was set up in 2002 to implement a pilot scheme to teach Ulster-Scots in primary and secondary schools and adult learning centres.

The project was funded through the government’s Ulster-Scots Agency.

The pilot ended in September 2007 and while the inspectorate acknowledged that it had been well received in the 22 schools it was tested in, it said other failings limited the potential to build on that relative success.

Chief Inspector Stanley Goudie said: “The project was well received in the pilot schools and fulfilled its basic remit in producing materials for the teaching of language, history and culture.

“The materials produced have the potential to support important areas of the curriculum at both primary and post-primary levels.

“However, the management of the project had significant weaknesses and the limited involvement of the teaching staff and lack of access to the materials has meant that the interest and positive responses have not been built upon.

“The materials produced, while current at the time, would now need to be updated in line with the revised curriculum.”

The total cost of the project, which included a 40% management charge by Stranmillis, was in the region of £1,7m (2.18m).

This excludes money made available by the Department of Education that has not yet been spent to make resources available online.