Hi °C | Lo °C The beginning of another school year is upon us and while we tend to often think about the successes of our young people, we should also be thinking about educational underachievement - a problem which remains a key driver of poverty across both the UK and Ireland.
There is much that politicians could do to help the situation -not least ensure adequate schools provision and resources for areas of consistently low educational attainment.
However, we cannot leave the issue entirely to politicians to solve. We can act ourselves.
I would ask anyone who feels they can assist in any way - by helping out at an after-school club, for example - to volunteer whatever time they can spare.
By giving up our time to show how much we care about the issue - and making a positive difference directly while doing so - we may begin to hope that, in future, school years will start with ever-more pupils looking forward to an education which will make them employable in an ever-tougher jobs market.
PAULA BRADSHAW
Alliance Party
