Department asks for multi-faith school

IN an unusual reversal of roles, the Department of Education has asked Educate Together to open a multi- denominational school — at short notice — in a fast-growing part of north Co Dublin.

The organisation is the patron of more than 40 schools around the country that guarantee equal access and respect for children and parents of all faiths — or none. More than 95% of the country’s 3,300 primary schools are still run on a denominational basis, mostly by the Catholic Church or Church of Ireland.

Educate Together has complained in the past that the Department of Education was slow to recognise the growth in demand for this type of education model — with parents usually waiting years for proper funding and buildings.

However, due to a serious shortage of primary school places in the Balbriggan area, the department asked Educate Together earlier this month to open a second school in the town as soon as possible.

The 2006 census showed the population of the town and its environs grew by more than half to above 15,500 in just four years. The existing Educate Together school will have more than 200 pupils when it reopens next week.

The Department of Education has also promised to take full responsibility for any temporary accommodation needed by the new school until a permanent building is found and that grants for the school board will be speeded up.

A meeting of prospective parents is being held this week with a view to holding its first classes at a two-storey premises in the town on September 17.

“The department is beginning to move into a much more pro-active and planned mode in relation to new schools, but they still have quite a long way to go until the system is right,” said Educate Together chief executive Paul Rowe.

The new school, to be called Bracken Educate Together, was one of a number being planned for first enrolments in September 2008. However, the work, which normally takes six months, is now being done in three weeks.

Last month, the department also asked the organisation to open a fourth school in Lucan because of rising demand. “We estimate there will be a need for 400 more of our type of school in the next 15 to 20 years,” said Mr Rowe.

A report of the department’s Commission on School Accommodation last year predicted that more than 60 new primary schools will be needed within five years for the north Dublin, east Meath and south Louth region.

As well as making provision for all accommodation needs of the new schools, the Department of Education has also provided Educate Together with funding for full-time staff to set them up, work normally done voluntarily by parents.

Educate Together is already in talks with the department about the possible opening of up to 10 schools in September 2008.