Education Minister Paul Givan has today announced a new funding initiative, inviting schools across Northern Ireland to apply for grants of up to £5,000 to host research-informed conferences.

The scheme is part of the Department of Education's 'Making Best Practice, Common Practice Programme'.

The programme aims to empower educators by connecting them with the latest educational research to enhance teaching and learning in the classroom. Schools and school clusters are encouraged to organise conferences that promote evidence-based practices.

Launching the initiative, Minister Givan said: "Teachers are at the heart of transforming education and this funding is aimed at helping to engage and empower teachers and school leaders in sharing and applying research to benefit our pupils. I am pleased to announce that the scheme is now open for applications and I would encourage those who believe that they can lead the way in making best practice, common practice across Northern Ireland, to apply for financial support." The 'Making Best Practice, Common Practice Programme' is a key component of the Department's TransformED strategy. Conferences supported by this funding will focus on various aspects of education, including pedagogy, curriculum development, and strategies to improve pupil outcomes. A key aim is to foster collaboration between teachers, educational researchers, and school leaders.

Minister Givan highlighted the importance of providing teachers with access to relevant research. "Over recent months, I have visited many schools and talked with school leaders and teachers. It is clear that that our teachers want access to practical educational research that is relevant to their teaching practice and this is an important element of teacher professional learning."

He emphasised the need for ongoing investment in teacher development. "For an education system to be excellent, it must prioritise investment in supporting teachers to continuously improve the quality of classroom practice. We can only do this by investing increased resources over the next number of years to support an effective and coherent approach to professional development."

The Minister concluded by encouraging schools to utilise the scheme for the wider benefit of the education sector. "I would encourage schools to use the scheme to the benefit of other teachers and pupils across Northern Ireland, to share best practice."

Schools interested in applying for the funding can find further details and application information on the Department of Education's website. The deadline for applications has not yet been specified.