BY AILEEN MURPHY
Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, has turned down a proposal to grant-aid the independently funded Integrated Primary School in the Clogher Valley. The announcement has angered parents of children at the school, which has been running independently for the last three years.
Fiona McFarland, the Chairperson of the school's Board of Governors, explained: "Parents are extremely disappointed by the Minister's decision not to grant government funding to the school. It is particularly sad that she has chosen not to fund the school given that we are taking in more children next year than several other schools in the area. If this does not demonstrate that parents want their children to be educated together, then I don't know what does."
Commenting on the decision, Ms Ruane said: "Each development proposal for a new school is considered carefully, based on all the information available.
"This includes evidence that any new school will be viable in the longer term and also its potential impact upon existing provision.
"Declining enrolments and surplus capacity in existing schools in the Clogher Valley areas have led to concerns about the sustainability of another school," she explained.
"It is of particular concern in this context that the school has not, to date, been able to achieve the minimum intakes required. The indications from the information available are that it would not be able to do so in September 2009, which raises a question on ability to demonstrate long-term viability.
"I have a duty to encourage and facilitate integrated education and have regularly done so. I understand that this news will be disappointing for the school, its pupils and parents who support integrated education. In reaching this decision, I must consider the prospects for sustainability and the educational interests of all the children concerned."
Acting Principal, Adele Kerr said "Naturally I'm disappointed that the Minister has decided not to give approval to the school because I believe there is a real demand for integrated provision in this area. Enrolments in the school are steady and the school continues to grow each year."
Michael Wardlow, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) said: "The Minister's decision comes late in the school year and is set against the background of two reports which, ironically have each identified the importance of integrated education in building a shared and better future.
"One report, from the Consultative Group on the Past, suggested that 'reconciliation may never be achieved if our children continue to attend separated schools'.
"The second and more locally based piece of research, carried out for the Church of Ireland Diocese of Clogher and which reflected the views and experiences of Border Protestants, highlighted the desire for more integrated education in the area.
"Indeed, a more integrated education system was the more popular recommendation for changing the future as it was felt that this would 'better prepare young people for life after school'. It will be difficult for parents to understand this decision set alongside such independent support for shared education," Mr Wardlow added.
Senior Development Officer at NICIE Lorna McAlpine said parents in the area wanted integrated education for their children and had worked tirelessly since 2004 for this.
"The first step was to ask the other schools in the Clogher Valley if they would like to transform to integrated status and, only when they refused, did parents try to open a new school.
Ms McAlpine said the Integrated Education Fund has had to support the school financially for three years, during which time, 'unfortunately, none of the schools in the area has felt able to review their decision not to transform'.
"Even at this time of falling enrolments, the independent Clogher Valley Integrated Primary School now has one of the strongest enrolments in the area, showing that parents are looking for this type of shared education for their children."
