DEVOLUTION AND EDUCATION POLICY IN NORTHERN IRELAND 2013-2015

After the so-called “Troubles”, since 1998, Northern Ireland is experiencing a complicated but lasting peace process (or “conflict transformation” process). Despite this, the society remains divided along ethnopolitical and religious lines, with a polarized politics. The education system is mainly separated, with more than 90% of school population attending schools which are either Catholic or Protestant, and only 7% attending integrated schools of a mixed nature. The policy of “shared education” tries to connect different schools with several projects and activities. Following the integrated-shared education debate, the article reconstructs the education policy of the Northern Irish executive and of the Assembly of Northern Ireland under devolution, in the period 2013-2015