Group calls for more diverse primary schools

UP to 400 more multi-denominational schools could be needed to offer parents a proper choice to suit their educational requirements for their children, it was claimed last night.

The message was delivered by Paul Rowe, chief executive of Educate Together which represents 41 schools in the fastest-growing type of primary school provision. Under its multi-denominational model, pupils receive religious education in school time but classes of formation in their own faith take place outside the school day.

Around 95% of the country’s 3,300 primary schools are operated on behalf of the local Catholic bishop, and most others also have a denominational ethos, despite the growing number of multi-and inter-denominational schools being granted State recognition each year.

Education Minister Mary Hanafin announced her department is to fund the first primary school managed by a Vocational Education Committee (VEC) from next year, in a measure which could open the way for a much greater number of non-Catholic primary schools.

In the past seven years, 23 new Educate Together schools have been set up, making it one of the main providers of new schools in rapidly-developing areas.

“We are faced with escalating demand for places in our existing schools and for the establishment of new schools in around 50 areas of the country. This demand, and the lack of State initiative in this area, raises a fundamental human rights issue,” Mr Rowe said.

“We cannot progress our social space, our education system or any real concept of a knowledge society unless we ensure that all families can access a school in which their social, cultural or religious backgrounds are guaranteed equality of access and esteem,” he said.

“We calculate that to resolve this problem, there is a need for 400 schools of this type, based on the modern criteria of access that sets a maximum half-hour journey time from home to school,” Mr Rowe said.

At last night’s publication of its three-year business plan, The Future Starts Here Every Day, he said Educate Together’s is unapologetically seeking support from the State, other funding organisations and the public to help solve the problem.

The plan says the need for diverse school provision cannot be met by Educate Together alone and it must work with other educational providers, State bodies and other organisations.