16/01/2002

Education Minister honours award-winning teachers

Education Minister, Martin McGuinness has congratulated three local award-winning teachers for their use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in education.

The teachers - Norman Johnston from Fleming Fulton Special School, Bill O’Donnell from Holy Child Primary School and Richard Wallace from Ballyclare High School - have won three categories in the British Educational Communications Technology agency’s (BECTa) award scheme for good practice with ICT. They were competing with other teachers from England, Scotland and Wales.

Speaking at the Parliament Buildings reception, Mr McGuinness said: "These winners are outstanding ambassadors for our teachers and education system. Their achievements clearly demonstrate how beneficial and effective the use of ICT is in education. Classroom 2000 will allow these benefits to be expanded to every single local school."

He added: "The New Opportunity Fund training for teachers and school librarians in ICT has achieved a higher success rate here than anywhere else, and I pay tribute to the professionalism and commitment of all our educationalists to be trained to use technology effectively."

The Minister also commended a new schools award scheme – Sharing Excellent Practice in Education Technology – which seeks to reward case studies of excellent practice with ICT across the whole work and life of the school. (CL)

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