Lyttle submits Assembly recall petition, urging Education Minister to give statement on school issues

Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has submitted an Assembly recall petition for the Education Minister to give an urgent statement on the safety of and contingency for school restart, transfer tests and examinations in January. The Chair of the Education Committee has submitted a recall petition, which 30 MLAs must sign in order to […]

Alliance Education Spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has praised those who campaigned to see period products supplied in all schools in Northern Ireland

Mr Lyttle, Chair of the Education Committee, was speaking after the Education Minister announced he would move forward with ensuring products would be made available in all schools further to the submission of a petition with 5,000 signatures aimed at tackling period poverty. He added: “This is good news for all who have campaigned to […]

Lyttle questions Education Minister over refusal to cancel or significantly change exam assessments

Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle has questioned the Education Minister about what level of disruption to pupils caused by the pandemic is he willing to accept before cancelling or significantly altering assessments of GCSE, AS-Level and A-Level grades in 2021. East Belfast MLA Mr Lyttle was speaking after Peter Weir announced minor changes for those […]

Education Minister should introduce free period products in schools, says Lyttle

The Education Minister should introduce free period products in schools, Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said. Mr Lyttle was speaking after submitting a petition of 5,000 signatures on behalf of Homeless Period Belfast to the Assembly calling for the products to be supplied to schools, alleviating period poverty and bringing Northern Ireland into […]

Education Minister should have planned for early school closure, says Lyttle

Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said the Education Minister should have planned for early school closure for Christmas. Mr Lyttle, Chair of the Assembly’s Education Committee, was speaking after the Minister attended the Committee to be quizzed by MLAs on the issue. Several schools have said pupils will not be marked absent if […]

Changes to special education needs statementing process welcome but more needs done, says Lyttle

Changes to the special educational needs (SEN) statementing process designed to ensure no child is left more than 34 weeks for an assessment is welcome but more need done, Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said. The Chair of the Assembly Education Committee was speaking after Department of Education officials told the Committee this […]

Lyttle says free sanitary products should be available in all schools

Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle has said free sanitary products should be available in all schools. Mr Lyttle – Chair of the Assembly Education Committee – said it was unacceptable young girls could have their education interrupted by a lack of access to period products. “A number of organisations and schools have shown leadership on sanitary […]

Active Travel must remain a priority, says Lyttle

Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle has pushed the Infrastructure Minister to confirm if her plans to promote active travelling, including meeting the Bicycle Strategy objective, are on target. Raising the issue in the Assembly on Monday, Mr Lyttle pushed the Minister to consider an Active Travel Act, ensuring relative funding was diverted towards the scheme. He […]

Lyttle asks why school restart funding not available to special schools

Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has asked the Education Minister why school restart funding is not available to special schools. In a statement to the Assembly, the Education Minister Peter Weir referenced his ‘concern’ for pupils with complex and additional learning needs but the East Belfast MLA has asked why then the Minister’s Engage […]