The North's Minister for Education will today outline reforms to the post-primary curriculum to be introduced over the next five years.
This follows the decision, announced last January, to abolish the controversial 11-plus transfer exam.
Today's speech by Mr Barry Gardner, the direct-rule minister in charge of education, is linked to the decision to adopt recommendations contained in the Costello report, which signalled the most significant shake-up in education in more than 50 years.
The 11-plus transfer test, which involves primary school children sitting two written examinations, is widely unpopular. However, grammar schools use its results to decide on pupil intake. By scrapping academic selection and moving to a system of pupil assessment with parental consultation, the North's education system will resemble more closely that of the Republic.
Key decisions on a pupil's future education are to be taken at ages 14 and 16, rather than 11.
The Costello report, which was set up two years ago to advise on future post-primary arrangements, called for an "entitlement framework" for each child to guarantee each pupil wider choice, flexibility and access to both academic and vocational subjects.
Today's announcements concentrate on curriculum development at post-primary level. The new curriculum will be designed to be less prescriptive, allowing schools to be more flexible and encouraging them to specialise in a key subject.
The minister is expected to announce today a more "joined up and holistic" curriculum with a greater emphasis on "real-world skills". The new curriculum at second level is aimed at providing a wider range of choices for students aged 14 to 16 and for those deciding to stay on in full-time education after the minimum school-leaving age.
At least one third of those courses on offer to such students should be of a vocational nature or "an applied subject", as the Department of Education prefers.
Schools will be encouraged to offer as wide a choice as possible in collaboration with other schools in the catchment area.
A key element will be the development of specialist schools whereby individual schools develop their own approaches to teaching and become local centres of excellence.