O’Dowd attends Hazelwood Integrated College Prize Day

Education Minister, John O'Dowd, has attended the annual prize-giving ceremony at Hazelwood Integrated College in north Belfast.
~ Tuesday, 13 November 2012

Speaking after the event, the Minister said: “Prize-giving ceremonies recognise the hard work and achievement of pupils in our schools and I was honoured to be invited to share in the celebration of success at Hazelwood Integrated College this evening.

“Such events, however, serve not only to highlight the success of the young people themselves, but also the commitment and dedication of the teachers and staff in our schools. Indeed they also recognise the support and involvement of the wider school community in the life of our schools.

“We have world-class education professionals working in our schools, but they cannot provide young people with a quality education alone. They need the support of parents and the wider school community as education does not start and stop at the school gates.

“It is for this reason that I recently launched a new advertising campaign aimed at raising the value we, as a society, place on education. The ‘Education Works’ campaign encourages parents of young children to take an interest in their child’s education and provides them with information on how to get involved. This involvement does not stop at primary school, and that is why I am particularly pleased to see the work Hazelwood Integrated College is doing with its local community.

“Through my Department’s Extended Schools programme, for example, the school is running a series of evening classes for pupils, parents and the wider community covering a number of subjects and skills such as English, maths, ICT and sign language. In this way the school is showing its value as an asset to the wider community, not just the pupils who attend the school.

“I also know that recently the school were involved in a special Careers Awareness Event where young people had the opportunity to visit local employers to gain an understanding of the full range of careers and vocational routes that are available to them. One of the primary roles of education is to prepare our young people for their future life and the world of work so I want to commend Hazelwood for their involvement in this very worthwhile initiative.”

In conclusion the Minister said: “I would just like to thank the school Principal, Kathleen Gormley, for the invitation to attend this special event. I also want to commend the strong leadership that she, along with the vice-principals and the entire Board of Governors provide which helps makes the school a success. It is their dedication along with the teachers and school staff which help the young people attending Hazelwood Integrated College to achieve their goals.

“Finally, of course, I want to congratulate the young people themselves on their hard work and enthusiasm and I wish them every success in the future.”