80% of primary schools have students from two or more religious faiths

FOUR-out-of-five primary schools now cater for pupils from at least two religious backgrounds, with one-in-six catering for children of at least six different faiths, a survey has revealed.

The figures reflect growing diversity in the population generally as well as in the education system.

The Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) surveyed 450 of its members ahead of its annual conference beginning today, at which the theme is about Changing Ireland.

They reported that 63% of primary schools have between two and five different religions represented in their classes. A further 16% have at least six different religions among their enrolments.

Despite these figures, around 95% of the country’s 3,000-plus primary schools are still run under the patronage of the local Catholic bishop.

However, growing numbers of interdenominational and multi-denominational schools have been set up around the country since the mid-1990s.

Under the primary school curriculum, 30 minutes a day is to be dedicated to religious education but this can cause difficulties where parents choose to have their children removed from class when religion is being taught.

IPPN director Seán Cottrell said: “The main impact on teaching is that a lot of accommodation has to be made in these circumstances. Some children’s parents don’t want them being in the classroom during religion.

“It’s a minority of overseas families who exercise this right but it can cause problems, particularly in smaller schools where it’s very hard moving children around.”

He said the issue is another aspect of our rapidly-changing society which was not envisaged when the Education Act was passed in 1998, enshrining a parent’s right to send their child to the school of their choice.

“But the school also has a right to effect its ethos, not just in the teaching of religion, but in all aspects of its work. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has already said the primary ethos of a school should be education, so perhaps the time is right to discuss the conflicting rights of parents and schools in relation to denominational education,” he said.

The IPPN survey also highlighted some of the challenges facing schools from a language perspective, with one-in-five schools catering for children who use six or more different mother tongues. About 6% of schools have at least 11 such ‘home languages’.

Only one-third of primary schools now cater solely for Irish pupils, and the survey suggests there are more than 600 schools where children from between five and 10 different countries are being taught.

More than 700 primary principals and deputy principals are gathering in Killarney from today, where the complexities of a changing pupil base are among the key topics for discussion.