Pictured at St Mark’s School in Warrenpoint are (from left) Conor Rodgers, vice-principal, Donna Finlay, CCEA, pupil Amy McCloy, Minister O’Dowd, Eamonn McPolin, senior teacher and chef examine of the GCSE Motor Vehicle and Road User Studies (MVRUS), pupils Matthew Blair and Cormac Heatley, Aidan McGivern, principal and Shauna Quinn, vice-principal.
The Minister for Infrastructure has reinstated funding to support a GCSE designed to improve road safety. Minister John O’Dowd has agreed to fund a scheme that supports the Motor Vehicle and Road User (MVRUS) GCSE.
The GCSE targets young people, who are sadly over-represented in road traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
The MVRUS GCSE scheme will support ongoing work in education and training as part of the Strategic Priority Areas identified in the Road Safety Strategy for Northern Ireland to 2030, which was launched in September 2024.
Minister O’Dowd visited St Mark’s School in Warrenpoint to meet pupils who have taken the GCSE and staff who deliver the subject.
The Minister said:
“I am delighted to be at St Mark’s today and to hear about the value the school places on the MVRUS GCSE for helping to prepare young people for making good road safety decisions.
“Road safety is a priority for me as Minister and this year I launched a new Road Safety Strategy to help keep our community safe while using our roads and education is an important part of that strategy.
“Sadly 68 people had their lives cut short and hundreds more were seriously injured on our roads last year and we have already lost lives in 2025. This causes untold devastation.
“Unfortunately, young drivers are more likely to be affected by serious road traffic collisions.
“We must all remember every day as road users to make potentially lifesaving choices, to be more mindful of others and proceed with care, follow the rules of the road they are there to protect us and help everyone get home safe.”
Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd visits St Mark’s High School, Warrenpoint, to announce his decision to reinstate funding for a scheme that supports a GCSE to support road safety. Included are students (from left) Amy McCoy, Matthew Blair and Cormac Heatley.
Eamonn McPolin, who has taught the MVRUS GCSE for 20 years, said:
“This subject is very beneficial, particularly for young people because of its links to road safety.
“Pupils learn skills including the safe use of a moped, which is such an important practical skill.
“This funding enables schools to purchase mopeds and safety equipment for the practical element of the course, which is crucial.”
St Mark’s student Amy McCoy, 17, who took the MVRUS GCSE in 2024, said:
“It prepares you for being on the road and helps you to be a better road user.
“It makes you aware of the possible dangers on the roads and of road traffic collisions.”
Matthew Blair, 16, said:
“I believe what I learned doing this GCSE will make me a more careful road user as sadly there have been a lot of people affected by road traffic collisions.
“The mopeds are a big help for us learning how to be a good road user and that will stay with us.”
Owing to budgetary constraints, funding was stopped in 2023-24. This has now been reinstated.
Fifty eight schools entered 1041 students for the exam in the summer of 2024.
The capital funding for the GCSE MVRUS Moped Grant Scheme is capped at £25k per annum, for the purchase of additional mopeds for new participating schools and to replace ageing mopeds.
There is also an £11k resource budget for textbooks and other equipment such as hi-vis tabards, cones for practical manoeuvres and helmets.