In his opening address, Chairman, Sam Loughrey, explained that the aim of the collaboration is to plan how best to share resources in order to offer a broader and more flexible curriculum to pupils in all schools in the Armagh area.

Mr. Robson Davison, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Education, spoke to the 300-strong body of teachers about the changing Educational Focus in Northern Ireland.
He explained that the Government had introduced The Entitlement Framework to increase the breadth and balance of the curriculum and to offer courses relevant to future employment prospects.

By 2013, pupils should have access to a choice of 24 subjects at GCSE and Sixth Formers should be able to choose from 27 subjects, so collaboration amongst local schools will be essential in order to provide this. He concluded:
“What happens in schools is crucial to the social and economic future for all of us.”

Mr. David Vint, Assistant Director, Southern Regional College, addressed the conference on the subject of the Skills Landscape in Northern Ireland. He stressed that:
“Skills development must provide real returns for the individual, for employers and
for society. Wherever possible, skills should be portable, to deliver mobility in the
labour market.”

The conference set the scene for a shift in emphasis from competition between schools to collaboration amongst schools in a bid to provide a skills-based curriculum which will meet the needs of the Northern Ireland economy.

Caption for photo:
The Armagh Area Learning Community hosted a joint staff conference in the Armagh City Hotel on Tuesday, 26th May. The Principals of the 10 member-schools are pictured here with Guest Speaker:
Front row l/r: Fr. Kevin Donaghy, (St. Patrick’s Grammar School), Mrs. Sandra Flynn (Lisanally School), Mr. Sam Loughrey, (Markethill High School), Mrs. Deirdre McDonald (St. Catherine’s College), Mr. Paul Crute (The Royal School).
Back row l/r: Mr. David Vint (Assistant Director, Southern Regional College), Mr. Pat McAleavey (St. Patrick’s High School, Keady), Mr. Eamon O’Hagan (St. Brigid’s High School), Mr. Andrew Turkington (City of Armagh High School), Mr. Robson Davison (Deputy Secretary, Department of Education), Mr. Dominic Clarke (Armagh Integrated College).