NI Education: Reforms are not 'right wing,' insists expert

The expert who reviewed what is taught in Northern Ireland's schools has said the reforms are not "right-wing". Lucy Crehan was answering questions from MLAs on Stormont's Education Committee on Wednesday. Crehan is an independent expert who has studied the world's highest performing education systems and was appointed by the Education Minister Paul Givan in 2024 to review Northern Ireland's curriculum. "If anything I would say it's more aligned with a left-wing view of the importance of equality and closing the disadvantage gap," she told MLAs. Her review was completed in June 2025 and is part of a series of reforms to education introduced by Givan. The curriculum review recommended measures including that primary school children are taught languages other than English and more teaching about digital technology in schools. The Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason asked her if she felt that the minister was "cherry-picking" evidence for his reforms on education. Crehan replied that she did not think Givan was cherry-picking evidence and that she supported his agenda for reform. "There is this idea that a knowledge-rich curriculum is somehow associated with right-of-centre or right-wing politi