§ 31. Mr. HagueTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to promote education to improve mutual understanding between the communities in the Province.
§ Dr. MawhinneyMajor steps are already being taken in this direction through the education for mutual understanding (EMU) programme which is incorporated as a compulsory cross-curricular theme in the new common curriculum. EMU enables young people to learn about and value their own culture and traditions and the culture and traditions of others.
Grant aid under the cross-community contact scheme, introduced in September 1987, has supported joint programmes by about a third of schools and 300 youth groups. The Department of Education for Northern Ireland also supports a number of organisations which promote reconciliation in school and youth groups.