In our response we emphasise the need to consider education in the context of Northern Ireland’s overall low levels of skills and productivity, alongside the need to address the significant inequalities that exist in the education system at present.

We provide detailed evidence from our recent research into education and skills for 14–19 year olds in Northern Ireland, which recommended a greater focus on employability and life skills in education, a radical transformation of careers advice, and the need to do much more to promote vocational education options. We also include the findings from our recent report on educational migration, looking at why so many young people leave Northern Ireland for study or work elsewhere. Here we recommend, amongst other things, that the Executive takes forward a fundamental review of higher education funding and the Maximum Student Number cap.