Shared Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2016
| Jurisdiction | Northern Ireland |
| Citation | 2016 NI c 20 |
| Year | 2016 |
Shared Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2016
2016 CHAPTER 20
An Act to make provision in relation to shared education.
[9th May 2016]
BE IT ENACTED by being passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly and assented to by Her Majesty as follows:
1 Purpose of this Act
(1) This Act makes provision in relation to shared education.
(2) The purpose of shared education is—
(a) to deliver educational benefits to children and young persons;
(b) to promote the efficient and effective use of resources;
(c) to promote equality of opportunity;
(d) to promote good relations; and
(e) to promote respect for identity, diversity and community cohesion.
2 “Shared education”
(1) This section applies for the purposes of—
(a) this Act; and
(b) section 2(3) of, and paragraph 8(2) of Schedule 1 to, the Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 (duty of Education Authority to encourage, facilitate and promote shared education).
(2) “Shared education” means the education together of—
(a) those of different religious belief, including reasonable numbers of both Protestant and Roman Catholic children or young persons; and
(b) those who are experiencing socio-economic deprivation and those who are not,
which is secured by the working together and co-operation of two or more relevant providers.
(3) In subsection (2) “relevant provider” means a person providing—
(a) education at a grant-aided school, or
(b) services of any kind (including youth services) which provide educational benefit to children or young persons.
3 Duty of Department of Education to encourage, facilitate and promote shared education
It is the duty of the Department of Education (so far as its powers extend) to encourage, facilitate and promote shared education.
4 Power of other bodies to encourage and facilitate shared education
(1) The bodies listed in subsection (2) may encourage and facilitate shared education.
(2) The bodies are—
(a) the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools;
(b) the Youth Council for Northern Ireland;
(c) the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment; and
(d) any sectoral body.
(3) In this section, “sectoral body” means a body—
(a) which is recognised by the Department of Education as representing the interests of grant-aided schools of a particular description; and
(b) to which grants are paid under section 4 of the Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.
5 Power of Department of Education and Education Authority to form company for purposes connected with shared education
(1) For the...
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