Integrated education has a crucial part to play in Northern Ireland’s development as a post-conflict society trying to heal divisions and create a united community.
That’s why it is concerning when not only is it not prioritised but when we see baffling decisions such as those taken by education minister Paul Givan yesterday to refuse both Bangor Academy and Rathmore Primary School in North Down to transform to integrated status.
It effectively blocked the growth of integrated education in North Down, and came against the wishes of parents and guardians of pupils in the schools, who responded in overwhelming numbers to back the transformation proposal in both cases.
The numbers don’t lie – almost 80% of parents from Bangor Academy and over 82% of parents from Rathmore wanted to see the change.
Now they must be questioning the minister’s judgement when he made this disappointing and concerning choice, particularly when placed against such overwhelming public support for the moves.
In the last Assembly mandate, my colleague Kellie Armstrong successfully brought the Integrated Education Act. It clearly outlined the Department of Education’s statutory duty to encourage, facilitate and support integrated education.
That builds on a similar pledge in the Good Friday Agreement, which showcased integrated education as an essential element of reconciliation.
The minister’s decisions regarding Bangor Academy and Rathmore Primary are entirely contrary to that, and seem to be based on what the minister’s interpretation of what constitutes ‘reasonable numbers’ of different religions at the schools.
I and my Alliance colleagues have called on the minister to urgently set out his rationale for the move in an attempt to seek clarity.
Every parent deserves access to an integrated education for their child if they so choose it, whether at a primary or post-primary stage and regardless of where they live in Northern Ireland.
The minister’s decisions will not deter our commitment to not only these two schools but to seeing the expansion of integrated education across Northern Ireland.
We will continue to engage with the minister and the department to ensure actions are taken in order to meet the legal obligations they have.
:: Connie Egan is an Alliance MLA
