Plain Politics Vol.3: Education

Plain Politics: Education breaks down how Northern Ireland’s school system was shaped by class, conflict, religion, and politics and why inequality still runs through it today. From the creation of segregated schooling and the 11+ to academic selection, funding gaps, and decades of stalled reform, this guide explains how policy decisions built an unequal system that continues to disadvantage working-class children. Clear, factual, and free from jargon, it helps readers understand how education became one of NI’s deepest divides and what it means for the future.