6 January 2000

EDUCATION MINISTER VISITS METHODIST COLLEGE

The Education Minister, Mr Martin McGuinness MP, today made his first visit to a voluntary grammar school at Methodist College, Belfast.

He was greeted at the school by the Headmaster, Dr Wilfred Mulryne, and the Chairman’s Representative, Professor Bob Stout. After signing the visitor’s book, the Minister visited several classes including home economics, mathematics and a technology class in the Walton Technology Building.

He was then given a guided tour of the Worrall Centre - a Sixth Form Centre run by the students themselves under the guidance of the Warden, Mr Stewart Roulston, - where he chatted to the Sixth Formers.

As his first official visit of the new Millennium, the Minister wished all staff and pupils a happy and peaceful New Year and spoke of the vital role which education has to play in ensuring a stable and prosperous society: "Our schools must provide our children with the skills and knowledge which they need to succeed in life and which our economy needs in order to thrive. Schools must also instill the spiritual, moral and cultural values on which a stable society, characterised by equality, tolerance and respect for diversity, depends."

NOTE TO EDITORS:

Methodist College was founded by the Methodist Church in Ireland in 1868 and is open to members of all religious denominations. It is a co-educational voluntary grammar school, with two contributory preparatory departments and a boarding department.