8 October 2026

SDLP Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA has accused the Education Minister of undermining democratic accountability by withdrawing Department of Education officials from scrutiny by the Assembly's Education Committee.

The SDLP’s East Derry MLA has backed efforts to challenge the decision and says the move comes at a time when major and controversial reforms are being driven through the education system.

"The Minister's decision to pull officials from Committee scrutiny is an extraordinary attempt to avoid accountability when serious questions are being asked about his reform agenda.

"Across the education sector, there are growing concerns not just about the substance of these reforms, but about how they are being developed, who is being consulted, and whether proper safeguards and oversight are being cast aside.

"If the Minister’s reforms are evidence-based and in the best interests of our children and young people, they should be able to withstand challenge."

Ms Hunter has called on the Education Committee to hear directly from leading academics, education experts and civic society representatives to ensure independent scrutiny continues in the absence of departmental engagement.

"The Minister has shown a worrying lack of leadership by attempting to frustrate legitimate scrutiny. In these circumstances, the Committee must redouble its efforts to hear from independent voices and rigorously test the evidence behind these proposals.

"The future of our education system is too important to be shaped without transparency, accountability and proper scrutiny."