Parents who home school in Northern Ireland could be caught by ‘deeply alarming’ and ‘intrusive’ proposals, the largest home education group in the province warned in June.
The Education and Library Boards in Northern Ireland have proposed a new draft policy, which would give government officials sweeping powers, including visits to homes at least once a year.
Maria Hanley, of the Home Education Northern Ireland (HEDNI) group, said: ‘The proposals are alarming and intrusive. Any change of this sort would require primary legislation by MLAs at Stormont, not by unelected officials. Under national and international law it is accepted that parents are the most appropriate judge for their child’s interests – these plans cut across the rights of parents to educate their children in the way they think is best’.
The boards are currently consulting on the draft policy, which would include a database to register and monitor home schooling families. The proposals say that parents who choose to remove their child from school should face detailed questioning and delays before being allowed to home school.
The Northern Ireland proposals are similar to controversial plans from Westminster in 2010, which were dropped prior to the election.
