AQW 36995/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Education

To ask the Minister of Education to detail any engagement he has planned with teaching unions, following the publication of the Independent Review of Teacher Workload.

Asked by Nick Mathison MLA on 8 December 2025

  • Answered
  • Written
Tabled
8 December 2025
Answer due by
23 December 2025
Answered
16 December 20258 days after tabling
Department
Department of Education
Priority question
No

Answer

I am committed to addressing the issue of teacher and school leader workload. I want to ensure that teachers can focus on what matters most – teaching, learning and supporting pupils in the classroom. That is why I established an independent panel to review this issue.

The Independent Review of Teacher Workload report was only published on 1 December 2025. My officials and I will require some time to carefully consider the recommendations, including the recommendation in relation to controlled assessment, before we can provide a detailed response on the way forward.

We will be engaging with teaching unions as part of this process.

Official sources