Church may cede control of schools to VECs

THE passing of control of primary schools by the Catholic Church moved a step closer with proposals from the head of the country’s Vocational Education Committees (VECs) to facilitate such a historic handover.

The Catholic bishops have indicated clearly over the past year that they are willing to pass on the patronage of some schools to help reflect the changing population and the Church’s waning local resources in some communities. While there is no suggestion they would give up the patronage of their 3,000-plus of the country’s 3,300 primary schools, the hierarchy have also stressed that any handover would have to protect the faith ethos of any school involved.

The Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) has now given a firm commitment that VECs could provide such protection, by mirroring the second level community college model at primary level. Co Dublin VEC has already opened the first pilot community national schools this year, to cater for a multi-denominational pupil base.