An Independent Social Affairs Magazine www.viewdigital.org Issue 45, 2018 £2.95 What sort of education future should we give our children?

A range of voices Guestt eeddiittoorr look at for tthhiiss iisssue is shared and columnniisst and inntteeggrraatteedd commeennttaattoor optioonnss Alex Kane

Supported by VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 2 We need to listen to young people he Northern Ireland Commissioner In particular, we investigate ‘shared’ for Children and Young People Koulla and ‘integrated’ education models in Yiasouma told VIEW magazine that: Northern Ireland; we look at Omagh, Co “TKids have far greater imagination about Tyrone, where in August 1998 the town the world than we do, they are looking centre was devastated by a bomb which forward and we are looking back.” killed 29 people. Her job is to safeguard the rights of The spotlight on education also children, and when it comes to education moves to Bosnia, where last year a group she would like to see lawmakers of pupils in the town of Jajce raised their “promoting shared education over voices against segregation by protesting in segregated education and integrated over the streets, jointly displaying Bosnian and everything else”. Croatian flags. We asked a local reporter The Commissioner wants young for an update. people’s voices to be heard in the Teachers, as well as politicians, education debate and she will call leaders academics and campaigners have given us to account “when they get it wrong”. By Una Murphy their views on educating children in VIEW digital publisher The right to education is enshrined in Northern Ireland today. the UN Convention on the Rights of the Email: [email protected] Thanks to everyone who contributed Child “no matter who they are, regardless insight into how a so-called ‘post-conflict’ to this edition of VIEW . of race, gender or disability”. society educates its children, with insights Especially our guest editor, columnist This edition of VIEW seeks to give an from Northern Ireland and Bosnia. and commentator Alex Kane.

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CRC Disclaimer – The publication has received financial support from the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council which aims to promote a pluralist society characterised by equity, respect for diversity and recognition of interdependence. The views expressed in the publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Community Relations Council.

Regulated by IMPRESS, the independent monitor for the press. Contact IMPRESS at www.impress.press VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 3

VIEW , an independent social affairs Editorial magazine in Northern Ireland

By guest editor, columnist and commentator Alex Kane

n a poll for LucidTalk in March 2016 circumstances in which new non-sectarian over 1,000 respondents were asked parties would emerge? how important “educating children of • Do you think it would lead to the parking all communities within one common of the constitutional question? system” was? Eighty-two percent of • Do you think it would lead to greater so - Protestants/Catholics agreed that it was cial/housing integration? eIither important or very important. That's why I • Do you think integrated education could The poll didn’t specifically mention be a form of 'engineering' designed to integrated education, but “within one make NI a better place? common system” can, for all intents and think we’ve • Do you think integrated education purposes, be taken to mean that. would lead to consensus on our In a poll three years earlier ended up with understanding of Northern Ireland and 68 percent said that the issue of help to heal divisions? segregated education should be a priority My personal view is that integrated for the Executive, with 57 percent saying that splendid education is broadly misunderstood. that a target date be set for complete Those who champion it regard it as a desegregation. Sixty-three percent agreed fudge known as ‘good thing’, the sort of ‘good thing’ which that the education system perpetuates ‘’ would, inevitably, make Northern Ireland a division, with 77 percent believing our ‘shared better place. international image would be improved But it seems to me that those with a single education system. champions have failed to address the sort These figures are nothing new. In the education’... of questions I set out above. early 1970s research indicated similar I think they have failed to grasp a levels of support for integrated education. but one thing brutal reality, too: namely, unionist and Yet almost 50 years on and integrated nationalist parties will be concerned by education provision accounts for less than anything which they think will do them 10 percent of school places. Why is that? we do know electoral damage further down the line. Why are politicians seemingly If the purpose of integrated education unwilling to push for reform when all of from the last is to change how we think about each the polling evidence suggests other, then how we think about each other overwhelming public support for it? 20 years: fudge say, in 20 years times, could have an Why, with the exception of Alliance electoral impact on existing unionist/ and some smaller parties, is integrated republican parties. education not a manifesto or Programme never works A simple rule of politics: don't for Government priority? endorse anything that could undermine It may be something to do with the you at some point. fact that the politicians don’t believe the And that's why I think we’ve ended up polls. I don’t mean that the pollsters have with that splendid fudge known as ‘shared got it wrong – they are reporting what education’. We already have a form of they’ve been told; but I think some parties that – with education spread across a believe that people are giving an answer number of providers. which they believe to be the ‘socially ‘Shared education’ is not integrated correct’ answer. In other words, ask people education, and nor is it a means of if they think educating children together is addressing, let alone resolving, the issue of a good thing and they probably will say yes. separating our children into specific What would be more interesting, community blocs (although I accept there though, is answers to questions like: is now some mixing in schools) from when • In what ways would Northern Ireland they can barely talk. change if there was integrated education? But one thing we do know from the • Do you think it would create the last 20 years: fudge never works. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 4

Peter Osborne,the chair of the Community Relations Council, tells VIEW why he believes that segregation in education is socially and morally bankrupt as a concept

here are two villages just over two provision alone. Yet we regularly hear Yet it effectively happens in teacher miles apart. They have a population about lack of money within the education training, costing over £2 million additional of nearly 4,000 people between sector including delays in infrastructure public subsidy annually to keep segregated tThem, 760 of whom are under 16 years of investment and schools shaving a few teacher training colleges open; and with age. They have fewer than 300 children of thousand pounds off their budgets by significantly more teachers trained each primary school age. making classroom assistants redundant. year than we actually need. No wonder Yet, these two villages are served by That is not to advocate a particular many unemployed young teachers emigrate four primary schools. system. There is much to be positive to get a job. The villages will remain nameless. But about in all forms of education in Sharing makes a positive difference segregation in education will have major Northern Ireland, although too many but all programmes and systems should and lasting impact on these children as young people are still left behind; often demonstrate a continuum of moving they grow up; as they develop interests and those young people are living in the most children and young people from friendships, habits and life-long attitudes. disadvantaged communities and in the segregation to meaningful learning and These villages, like every other hamlet, most segregated areas. developing together, sustainable beyond village, town and city in Northern Ireland The duplication and waste of the the latest round of funding. are being condemned to another existing system, the moral and It is systemic change that is needed. generation of people living parallel lives, social dysfunction that it causes, In the USA 50 years ago Martin coming together too rarely and sometimes requires change. Luther King did as much as anyone to end in conflict. Those who advocate ending segregation in education. He once said Segregation in education is socially segregation in education are often accused true compassion isn’t tossing a few coins and morally bankrupt as a concept because of social engineering. Yet the greatest to a beggar you pass in the street; true it reinforces societal segregation and puts practice of social engineering is that compassion acknowledges that the system strain on how people live their lives, which keeps young people apart in giving rise to beggars needs changed. promoting a separate psyche. their formative years, a segregation True wisdom in Northern Ireland is Segregation in education is helping to which is then easier to sustain in realising that the systems giving rise to economically bankrupt how Northern succeeding years. segregated living over many years need to Ireland is governed with millions invested There is even segregation in teacher change; true courage is then speaking out in duplication of buildings, resources and training. Imagine if your child wanted to be for change. services. A 2015 Ulster University Cost of a GP. Would you say to them: if you want Acknowledging the cost of maintaining Division study showed the number of to cure Protestants then you’ll go to this segregation in education is a first step. surplus places in the Controlled and college but if you want to cure Catholics More people from all walks of civil society Catholic Maintained sector (32,000 and then you’ll go to this different college? need to speak out to recognise the wrong 35,000 respectively) was costing Would you add: you can’t actually treat being done to our children and our between £14 million and £93 million each Catholics as well as Protestants – can you? collective, shared future. year – and that was for primary school How absurd would that be? VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 5 COMMENT A struggle to provide shared learning

Chris Donnolly, vice-principal of Holy Cross Boys’ Primary School in north Belfast, argues that Northern Ireland remains a deeply divided society with little sign of movement towards genuine reconciliation and integration n a few short months, the 20th Shared Education was born out of a anniversary of the Good Friday desire to design a more pragmatic means Agreement will be marked, a seminal of encouraging co-operation at an dIate in Irish history which provided a institutional level between schools, but it political and constitutional framework remains a considerable challenge to believe enabling us as a society to move (albeit it can effectively ensure that all of our slowly) towards a better future. children will meet, never mind forge The past 20 years have been dotted Many children strong and meaningful personal with historic occasions, developments and relationships, with children from the other setbacks – including the present stalemate born and raised religious and cultural backgrounds prior to which has seen the institutions established becoming teenagers. through the Agreement suspended for The existence of our multiple more than a year. in our education sectors – from Controlled, But whilst there is a consensus that integrated, Catholic and Irish-medium to things have gotten better than they were most rigidly grammar and non-grammar secondaries – during the dark years of the Troubles, in continues to mitigate against using reality Northern Ireland remains a deeply education as a method of promoting divided society with little sign of segregated integration in northern Irish society. In - movement towards genuine reconciliation deed, the triumph of shared over and integration. towns, integrated was a nod to what was deemed In his autobiography entitled The Sash doable at NI Executive level in recognition He Never Wore , the legendary east Belfast villages and of that fact. born footballer Derek Dougan, wrote The normalisation of our peace has about how the first time he actually met a ‘’ led to subtle changes in school enrolments, Catholic was when, aged 12, he played a working class with many schools firmly anchored in a Schools’ Cup football match for Mersey respective education sector still managing Street school against Holy Cross Boys’ communities to attract significant numbers of pupils School (the school of which I happily serve from what typically would be regarded as as vice-principal). That was in 1950. the other community. Sixty-eight years later, it remains the are still able This trend of almost incidental case that many children born and raised in integration (of pupil intake if not school our most rigidly segregated towns, villages to reach ethos) is likely to continue to grow, most and working class communities are still markedly in the grammar sector, as parents able to reach adolescence without meeting adolescence opt for schools they regard as best children from the other religious and fitted for their children’s educational cultural background. prospects regardless of reservations about Integrated and shared education without meeting the school ethos. models exist in parallel but work towards This development would be the same objective of seeking to provide children from consistent with patterns in many other shared learning opportunities for children countries, where (for instance) Catholic with the purpose of breaking down the schools attract pupils from all religious rigid lines of division that continue to the other backgrounds in spite of the their defined define this society. Catholic ethos. Integrated education developed as a religious and But these subtle changes are limited in grassroots movement against the existing number and scope. In the absence of order but, whilst it has become well cultural significant developments with regard to the embedded as a sector in its own right, in promotion of integrated education or a reality the overwhelming majority of more assertive departmental policy on children continue to be educated at background expanding the scope and reach of the primary and post-primary level in schools existing shared education model, there will that are identifiably Catholic or from a continue to be more potential in housing, Controlled sector, historically acting as and not education, delivering a more shorthand for Protestant. integrated society in the north of Ireland. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 6

Shared education produces ‘positive community impacts

Professor Tony Gallagher, above, tells Jane Hardy that the future direction of the education system in Northern Ireland is up to what parents want leading academic at Queen’s separate schools, to privilege identity, or counter-argument. “Integration grew to a University has traced the start of integrated schools, to privilege cohesion.” certain size, then stalled. I was involved in the shared education movement to Prof Gallagher added that early discussions when a figure of 15 tAhe 1998 Good Friday Agreement. collaborative education was a way of neatly percent would have been a tipping Professor Tony Gallagher, director of side-stepping that argument, adding: “If you point, with the whole system moving in research at the School of Social Sciences, could create a situation where schools that direction.” Education and Social Work at QUB, said: “It work collaboratively in local areas, Currently, integrated schools account arose from the beginnings of the peace students move between schools to take for only seven percent of the Northern process that presented Northern Ireland classes, teachers work together, you could Ireland total. The reason why isn’t clear, with an opportunity to look back at 25 create something like a type of integrated although Prof Gallagher refers to a years of education initiatives to see what experience and do it in a way everybody reliance on piggyback survey data, meaning their impact had been.” would be comfortable with as they weren’t questions on education were included in Prof Gallagher listed the different losing their basic foundations. general market research. strategies used to unite school students “You would also provide crucial new He quoted examples of good practice from Catholic and Protestant communities. opportunities for dialogue between both in the sector in schools such as Limavady These included work on the curriculum, sides of the religious divide.” High and St Mary's and Ballycastle High producing common history textbooks and On the Queen’s University website, and Cross and Passion. But he admitted new subject programmes in religion and Prof Gallager has noted that there was there have been problems. “There were history; the development of integrated interest in the model of shared education some sectarian fights at a couple of schools; contact programmes, bringing from Macedonia, Malaysia and Israel, with a schools but the principals of the pupils together for joint projects, and the collaborative project in Israel already in schools made statements. There are chal - equal opportunity approach which led to receipt of some funding support. lenges, you work with solutions. It’s a very equal funding for Catholic schools. Exponents of fully integrated can-do approach.” Yet the impact had been disappointing, education, though, regard the shared Prof Gallagher said the future is up to he said. “Every one of those (approaches) approach as integration lite, I pointed out. parents. “We don’t know whether in 10 to achieved something but there was little Prof Gallagher replied: “Some people 20 years’ time we’ll have integrated or evidence of any real systemic change." on the integrated side of the argument are collaborative schools.” In discussions between interested hostile because they think we’re providing He added that he remains optimistic parties, the idea of school collaboration a fig leaf to faith schools.” about the role of education in Northern began to gain ground. “Just like in many Prof Gallagher, who while Ireland's future, noting that shared divided societies, there was a debate for complimentary about the parent-led education produces “very positive years about whether we should have integrated movement had a community impacts”. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 7

May Blood with pupils at Killyleagh Integrated Primary School in Downpatrick May Blood: Donating time and effort to the cause of integration veteran activist for the integration open their eyes to the world. Our educa - Education Fund (IEF) has raised about movement in Northern Ireland said tion system is superior but the problem is £25 million, that’s a lot of fundraising.” she initially dismissed the campaign it’s sectarian. State schools are predomi - Baroness Blood also refers to battles, even aAs she believed it was aimed at middle class nantly Protestant, church schools are al - a couple of court cases, with the people – “those who could afford to most all Catholic with a few Protestants Department of Education over integrated choose” when it came to education. going. In the Troubles housing was split up, status for schools. But in 1999 May Blood, who was born education was split up – it was the norm. On the question of shared education, and raised in Belfast and who once worked None of the communities ever met each Baroness Blood remains adamant that it is in a linen mill, presented the prizes at other.” not enough. Hazelwood Integrated College and found This has made it tough to bring “The problem with shared education she had to re-evaluate her initial opinion. “I Northern Ireland’s post-conflict society is that students share a project or music discovered there were kids from Sandy together, she added. lesson, then go back to their own schools. Row, kids from the Shankill, kids from the Recalling her own upbringing in the To me it smacks of class. Schools, who I Falls. I couldn’t believe it.” 1940s as a Protestant in west Belfast, May don’t blame, have received a lot of money Ms Blood, who in 1999 was offered a described a gentler world. “I was brought for this, up to £100,000 for three years. life peerage and a seat in the House of up in a mixed housing area. The family next With integration, pupils stay in the same Lords, was invited to join the Northern door was Catholic, the family across the school and work out who has horns and Ireland Integrated Education Fund road was Catholic. We all went to different who doesn’t. I can’t understand why people and went on to become a champion for schools but we played together on the accept shared education but think the sector. street. Social integration clearly worked integrated education is a step too far.” “I said I’d do it for a year – that was and there was a sense of shared values. We May finished off the interview by 17 years ago.” But she pointed out that it all helped each other out, that was how I recalling words said by former Democratic was not a panacea: “It’s not the answer to was reared.” Unionist Party leader Peter Robinson. the problem of Northern Ireland, it’s part On the question of why integrated “I remember seeing Peter Robinson of the answer. We have to grow a whole education has not flourished numerically, about this when he was First Minister. He new community so we don’t keep looking she said. “I’d love to get to 15 percent, not said: ‘It’s about evolution, May, not back. I think our young people who come be at seven percent, but it’s all about revolution’. And I thought: ‘What about through integrated education, and the fundraising. revolution?’ We need a revolution in whole education system, are beginning to “In 25 years the Integrated Northern Ireland.” VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 8 A passionate belief inBy B riain nPelantegration t an Integrated Education Fund dinner in the House of Lords in November 2015, a young woman from Northern Ireland called Advocate: Hilary Copeland gave a speech. In it she said: “When I look back Hilary Anow as an adult, I think about how brave we all were to take this huge Copeland leap of faith on a school with no academic record, no alumni, no reputation, no established rules or policies or records, at a time when our country seemed to have little faith in the notions of peace and co-operation.” Hilary, who is the general manager of arts organisation the John Hewitt Society, was referring to New-Bridge Integrated College in Loughbrickland, Co Down. “The school opened in 1995 and I started in 1997. I was among the first intake at New-Bridge. Its intake has grown but it had very humble origins when I went. “As a child, I attended a local controlled primary school in Loughbrickland. The majority of the pupils, like me, were from a Protestant background. It was very much my choice to go to New-Bridge. I was very academic and got an A in my transfer test and I had a place at Banbridge Academy. I went to an open day at the Academy and also at New-Bridge. The Academy was a much bigger school, but I didn’t get the same sense of warmth and welcoming that I got when I visited New-Bridge.” Since leaving the integrated college, 32-year-old Hilary has gone on to champion its ethos. “I got involved with Integrated AlumNI (a voluntary network of past pupils of integrated schools who want to support the growth of integrated education in Northern Ireland). “We are advocates and ambassadors for the cause of integrated education.” As our interview drew to an end I asked Hilary why integrated education was still only a relatively small section in terms of the overall education system in Northern Ireland. “Most of the integrated schools I know are over-subscribed,” replied Hilary. “There is a question of places available. There is also a reluctance, when we had an Assembly, to support integrated education. “If integrated schooling is part of the Good Friday Agreement why is it today that we have only seven percent of representation in the education sector in Northern Ireland? “I also view shared education as still segregating pupils and highlighting the fact that they can’t be educated together and that they have to wear different uniforms when they pass each other in the hall. Those pupils should be integrated together in the same school. “But even the term ‘integrated’ means that we’re still talking about two communities. I love the idea of us having an ‘inclusive’ education where everyone, faith or non-faith, can take part.” I can understand why Hilary is a good choice as an ambassador for the integrated argument. She is passionate and eloquent. We are likely to hear more about her in the future. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 9

Principal Scott Naismith: “We create a safe space for pupils to interact” We’re naturally integrated, says Methody head Journalist Jane Hardy inhales the smell of ‘polish and privilege’ as she enters Methodist College Belfast to talk to its principal Scott Naismith about his vision of ‘real equality’ for all its pupils nce you enter the doors of college, which pulls in yearly contributions chapel was open to their children as a Methodist College on the Malone of £140 from parents, plus £560 per quiet space.”. Road in Belfast, you could almost annum towards extra-curricular activities, Does he feel that education, even the Obelieve you were in a private school. Its is a selective grammar school. informally integrated secondary education Victorian architecture and the smell of Families who haven't got this extra version on offer at Methody, can actually polish and privilege stands out cash for school trips or music lessons can change society here? But 55-year-old principal Scott apply to a fund set up by former Methody The answer from Mr Naismith, who is Naismith, who has held the position for students. The discretionary fund is from Motherwell near Glasgow, was a pas - the past 11 years, maintains that his school disbursed by the principal and financed by sionate “yes”. is about “real equality”. annual contributions from the former He recounted how during a report in He said the school valued all its nearly pupils’ association. the last few years to an education 2,000 students from whatever We discuss the question of committee, a group of Methodist College background – “some for their academic compulsory religious education and how students was apparently asked how they success, some for other qualities that that fits the needs of his mixed student viewed students from the opposite camp, they bring”. body. Mr Naismith said: "We’re required to ie Protestants or Catholics. “They said: The school is multicultural, with more have a religious message. At the start of ‘We don’t care, we really don’t care.’” than 13 ethnic groups represented among each term, we look at themes representing Mr Naismith revealed that one of the its intake. He pointed out that universal ideas and values.” reasons he took the job was because of his Quakers are represented, as well as The school has a chapel of unity belief in the transformative power of students from all the main religions. which Mr Naismith emphasised is open to secondary education in Northern Ireland. He argued that the school is in a pupils of all faith backgrounds. He said: “My vision for the college aspires sense “naturally integrated”. "We wrote to parents of Muslim to modelling how Belfast and Northern But in Department of Education students when Ramadan coincided with Ireland should be. We create a safe space terms, the Methodist Church-funded the examination period, saying that the for pupils to interact.” VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 10

An artist’s impression of the new Strule shared campus in Omagh, Co Tyrone New flagship schools project hit by delays and rising costs the proposed shared campus at Lisanelly but in - By Brian Pelan stead opted for a building of its own. ne of the most visible signs of the Former West Tyrone Sinn Fein MP Barry shared education project is the McElduff said in a news report in the Irish building of the new Strule News: “This is indisputably an iconic cOampus in Omagh, Co Tyrone. project which will help to meet the It was reported in the media in best educational interests of many September last year that the open - people in the Omagh area for gen - ing of the campus, which will erations to come. cost almost £60 million more “There is strong political and than first estimated, will now be community consensus around the delayed by a year. development of six schools on a The campus, which will single site – it has been consis - involve six schools, had been tently identified as a programme due for completion before for government priority with September 2020 but it will ring-fenced capital funding.” not be finished until up to A spokesman for the 12 months later due to Department of Education “procurement issues”. spokesperson said the Last year it emerged completion date had been that converting the former revised in order to resolve Lisanelly military barracks a “number of important, would cost almost £160 emergent issues”. million compared to original About 4,000 pupils will estimates of £100 million. eventually go to school on the campus, which A mix of grammar, non-grammar, Catholic, state and special includes some shared areas, such as sports facilities. schools will occupy the site. Each will have their own buildings, but Education adviser Seamus Bradley told the Tyrone Herald the will share other facilities in an attempt to increase opportunities Strule campus was likely to be the first of its kind globally. for collaboration. “We have not seen anything of the scale, size and level of So far just one school has opened – Arvalee School and investment anywhere before. It really is going to be a completely Resource Centre – which was built at a cost of £8.2 million. different and unique model for the provision of education.” In addition to Arvalee, the five schools signed up to the project are Loreto Grammar, Omagh High, Sacred Heart College, Omagh Academy and Christian Brothers Grammar. Drumragh Integrated College had been invited to be part of • For more information go to https://strule.org/ VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 11

VIEW asked people in Omagh for their opinions on shared/integrated education

Eileen McGale: “I think integrated Sinead McParland: “Yes. I think Mary McParland: “Integrated education education is great. It should have been in integrated education is good. It’s moving should have been done 100 years ago.” years ago.” things forward.”

Words: Anton McCabe Images: Jim Dunne

Maebhe McMullan: “I think schools can John McGarvey: “I think Marian McGarvey: “Integrated is part overcome community divisions. I don’t integrated is part of the educational of what is on offer. We come from a know if they’re the main contributing offering out there. It’s what best Catholic background, and for us, that’s an factor. I had friends who went to an fits your child. A lot of times it comes to important factor. That’s why we chose to integrated school and they loved it. They do what does the school offer from a point of send our children to the Christian so much and celebrate so many different view of pastoral care?” Brothers and the Loreto. It’s where we events.” went to school.” VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 12 STRULE CAMPUS A possible blueprint for combined school ing

Professor Bob Salisbury, who had a distinguished career in education and now lives near Omagh, argues that political and religious leaders must move with speed towards a combined system which educates all of our young people together am delighted that the educational village schools reducing contact time – this is an is being developed: with vision and easy way out and the only ones who suffer courage this has the potential to are the students, as always.) We are now bIecome a blueprint for combined living beyond our means because there are schooling in Northern Ireland. too many small schools and too many Our current educational structure has ‘types’ of school, so the overall pot of to change because it is failing too many of money is spread too thinly. Combined our young people, is unaffordable and Logistically schooling on the Strule campus has the divisive. Segregated education is one of the capacity to be a more workable and root causes of the social unrest, mistrust affordable option. ‘of the other side’, and is a crucial factor in ‘shared’ Duplication of courses in post-16 prolonging the ongoing tensions which schools and colleges is also wasteful and exist in this small country. educational limiting for students. School sixth forms Political and religious leaders must generally offer restricted curricular move with speed towards a combined schemes have a packages (if you take this, you can’t take system which educates all of our young that, etc); they compete unashamedly with people together. As trust grows and neighbouring schools for students and are pragmatism prevails, the Strule campus finite limit not cost-effective. should become a pathfinder for this aim Developing a combined post-16 which, hopefully, others will follow. because system on the Strule campus would give a Our present school system is not much wider choice of modern subjects, fulfilling the needs of our young people for would be economically sustainable, but the next 20 to 30 years; we are still look - planning joint above all, would be of greater benefit to ing back to a world which is no longer rel - ‘’ the students. evant. Flexibility and adaptability, global timetables, ‘Shared education’ is a start but is awareness, co-operation and networking, certainly not a long-term solution. Some confidence in meeting ever-changing arranging schemes are clearly designed as a survival circumstances, technological competence device to protect small schools which may and high-quality communication skills are be under threat from closure, thus vital attributes for all children who are transport prolonging the issues raised above. currently moving through our schools. Educational outcomes are usually Unfortunately, many of our schools of staff and reported as very positive, though are often are stuck in the past and are still ill-defined and difficult to quantify. This preoccupied with putting the traditions of prompts the obvious question: if these their institutions, in an ‘exam factory’ students quickly schemes work so well on restricted environment, before the 21st century contact, why not fully combine? needs of all of our young people. begins to exert Logistically, ‘shared’ educational If our schools were highly successful schemes have a finite limit because there might be some virtue in maintaining a negative planning joint timetables, arranging the status quo, but sadly this is not the transport of staff and students quickly case. Some students do achieve high begins to exert a negative influence on the academic results but there is still a long influence on rest of the school. tale of underachievement, especially in the Furthermore, there is usually a inner city areas, where outcomes are the rest of substantial financial cost involved in this among the worst in the whole of Europe. process and it is reasonable to ask if the Consideration of the future shape of funding ceases, as seems likely, will these our schools must also take into account the school initiatives survive? the current financial situation. Government For years now I have been asking the funding will continue to decline and question: ‘What do we actually lose if we already far too many schools are running have combined schooling?’ And so far I deficit budgets, cutting extra-curricular have been unable to get any rational re - activities and reducing opening hours in sponse. Hopefully, as the Strule campus de - order to make ends meet (it seems velops, it will prove that in working inconceivable that parents will put up with together we lose nothing and gain plenty. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 13 DRUMRAGH INTEGRATED COLLEGE

Nigel Frith, head of Drumragh Integrated College in Omagh Image: Jim Dunne

‘Complete respect for all pupils’ Drumragh Integrated College in Omagh recently submitted its third request to expand to the Department of Education, after two refusals. Journalist Anton McCabe talks to its head Nigel Frith

igel Frith, head of Omagh’s separate ceremonies. The entire school Drumragh Integrated College, meets together. We invite both Protestant believes the town needs both and Catholic clergy to come in and take NDrumragh and the proposed shared part in our services. We don’t use the education complex on the site of a former words Protestant or Catholic. We begin Army camp, where the town’s other five the ceremony by saying let’s all reflect second-level schools will be located. today on the way we live our lives. If there “If the town’s other second-level are changes to be made, let’s make those schools can share meaningfully on the new We have changes. And halfway through the service site “then that’s brilliant, and I hope that we say: ‘If you would like to receive the the site thrives. The more these children children from ashes today you’re welcome to do so. If are going to be mixing together – and you would rather not, equally, simply hopefully, this is what the shared all backgrounds, remain in your seat’. campus is going to achieve in the “We play some music, have a long term – the more they will actually faiths and powerpoint presentation with some start to develop friendships.” images and quotations, and we simply ask However, integration is a different cultures the children to think, to reflect, to pray – model. “We have children from all which ever they choose.” backgrounds, faiths and cultures coming Another strength of the integrated through the front door,” Mr Frith said. coming model is that Drumragh is all-ability. “We “They are here all day, every day, so have a thriving special needs department there is difference number one. through the here,” Mr Firth said. “A lot of children, who “Drumragh’s children are Protestant, are the most amazing young people, are Catholic, Hungarian, Polish, Northern front ‘do’or helped with the difficulties that they have Irish – all together. We’re not even in their learning. into the word ‘tolerance’. This is about “Equally, we have a gifted and talented something a great deal more positive, Remembrance and Ash Wednesday is very programme. One of the most exciting about mutual respect.” strategic,” Mr Frith said. “If we take things is that you can have children who He knows subjects such as Religious Remembrance first, we take part in the are on both the gifted and talented Education (RE) and History can be difficult. ceremony on the Sunday morning of programme and the special needs register “The staff here are trained and skilled in Remembrance Day. We have the Drumragh at the same time, and where else could delivering RE, History and any other wreath as well, and we lay the wreath at you find a school system that can achieve subject in a way that is completely the Cenotaph. both. I find that really exciting.” embracing, and there is no bias, and they “Our approach to Remembrance Drumragh Integrated College has are simply saying to the children: ‘Let us within the school is we define recently submitted its third request to understand what has happened’,” he said. Remembrance for the entire student body. expand to the Department of Education, “Let's understand these different Remembrance means two things, basically. after two refusals. faiths and religions, let’s understand how One is that anyone who has defended our Within a decade, Mr Frith is looking at Protestants operate, how Catholics freedom and lost their life in doing it, Omagh having an integrated campus, operate, how people of other faiths we owe them a debt of gratitude. with Omagh Integrated Primary School operate, let’s respect it, let’s ask the really “And secondly, the history of mankind beside the college. big questions of life, and you be sure of is not a great one in terms of conflict. “We will still be two separate what you believe in your own values, and Surely, we can learn the lessons of history schools, with separate governance, but that’s one of the outcomes of the journey.” and do a better job. Let’s learn those this overarching umbrella that is the Drumragh deals with potentially lessons of history through Remembrance. integrated ethos will be what unites us contentious issues. “Our approach to “For Ash Wednesday, we don’t have in practice.” VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 14 CRIS – helping to construct bridges between schools and communities

Lisa Dietrich, director of CRIS, with her award, after the Buddy Up project was honoured at the Intercultural Innovation Awards at the United Nations headquarters in New York

ommunity Relations In Schools ground-breaking initiative named ‘Antrim Ardoyne and Edenderry Nursery School in (CRIS) is a charity that has and Randalstown Schools: Moving Forward the Shankill) scooped third place in a highly been involved in innovative Together’ partnership – an education and competitive global competition. Held at the pCeace-building work since 1982. community partnership comprised United Nations headquarters in New York, The organisation was born out of the of 19 nursery, primary, post-primary the Intercultural Innovation Awards were context of a contested society, yet its and special schools from the born from a partnership between the work is just as relevant now as it was in maintained, controlled, and integrated United Nations Alliance of Civilisations the early 1980s. education sectors. (UNAOC) and the BMW Group. CRIS’s work is – and always has been Since its establishment in 2014 the This cutting-edge Buddy Up project – firmly rooted in the belief that partnership has delivered numerous was selected from more than 1,300 relationship and trust-building is at the inter-school community relations, sports, applications from across 130 countries by core of creating change. music, special education and shared an international jury of experts. It is the Schools are located at a critical and education programmes for hundreds of first time a project from Northern Ireland unique position within communities and children, young people, parents and has received this award. therefore provide a great opportunity to school staff from the Antrim town and Buddy Up is a journey that spans further this goal. Randalstown areas. 20 years, when the two school principals As well as being a capacity-building At a recent school/community fun run first met to see what they could do to help support agent for schools, (including event involving hundreds of young people, build bridges between their communities. practice and skills development to work Philip Lavery, chair of Moving Forward Two parents involved in the Buddy with Good Relations themes and Together (MFT) and vice-principal of System said: “It’s hard to put it down in developing collaborative partnerships), Mount St Michael’s Primary School, words. For us, the Buddy System is CRIS increasingly focuses its attention on Randalstown, said: “The name of the inspiring. It built our children’s co-developing creative and innovative ways partnership says it all, really – this is about confidence and it built our confidence. It of engaging families in shared education us all moving forward together. And for allowed us to open up to who we and peace-building activities. that to happen it takes more than just one are. It has given us great hope for our This whole school community individual, organisation or school. It takes children’s future.” approach enables safe encounter of one all of us – meeting, talking, learning, sharing The website www.buddyup.org another to happen; it supports the and achieving together.” provides resources and support for normalisation of sharing; movement CRIS has been delighted its practice schools and other groups who are keen to between communities, and respect and has been recognised by policy makers and get involved. It also puts forth a call for understanding for cultural diversity. others involved in the education and action to ‘buddy up for peace’. For over a decade now CRIS has been peace-building sector. In 2013, the Together CRIS would like to sincerely thank the at the forefront of championing Good Building a United Community (TBUC) Community Relations Council and its staff Relations and Collaborative Education strategy highlighted the ‘Buddy System’ in for their continued support and (GRACE) as a model for the furtherance one of its headline actions to be rolled out encouragement. of a reconciled society. A conference to to nursery and primary schools across launch this model and digital training Northern Ireland. • If you would like to learn more resource will take place in March and More recently the Buddy Up project, a about CRIS, please look up our will showcase several case studies across collaborative venture between CRIS and website: www.crisni.org or join us Northern Ireland. two nursery schools in north and west on Facebook at ‘Community A key example of this practice is a Belfast (Holy Cross Nursery School in Relations In Schools’. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 15

Friendship: Buddies from Nursery School Year 2016-2017 posing for CRC’s Community Relations and Cultural Awareness Week last September 2017

Clockwise, from above, left: Nancy Magrath, principal of Edenderry Nursery School (left) with Anne McLaren, shared parent worker and Nuala Gallagher, former principal of Holy Cross Nursery School. Philip Lavery, chair of MFT and the MFT shared choir at the Dunadry Hotel, December 2017. This event was supported by Shared Education Signature Project. And school principals and parents at Holy Cross Nursery School in north Belfast VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 16

Community Relations Council The funding and development agency for community relations

• We want you to get involved The Council has always believed that individuals and local communities have a vital role in peace building and has developed a range of practical support that groups and individuals can access.

• Development Support Do you have an idea but aren’t quite sure what the next steps are in making it a reality? Dedicated CRC staff are available to discuss your proposals and to offer practical advice in how best you can take your idea forward.

Practical Resources CRC has a range of practical resources and training materials that are available at little or no cost. (Please see CRC web site for more information)

• Funding Support The CRC operates a range of grant schemes, which open at various times in the year. Full details and application forms are available to download from the CRC website on www.nicrc.org.uk . One of the most popular grant schemes is the Community Relations/Cultural Diversity (CR/CD) Scheme. The CR/CD scheme is aimed at increasing opportunities for people from differing traditions to develop relationships of trust and understanding and the confidence to address issues of difference between them. Grants of up to £10,000 are available per application and approximately 180 grants are awarded each financial year. Most grant applications awards would fall between £2 and £5k.

• For further information on this and all of the services available from CRC, please refer to our web site, www.nicrc.org or contact us on Tel: +44 (0) 28 9022 7500 Email: [email protected] VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 17 COMMENT

It’s time to link education and housing

Professor Paddy Gray, who has worked extensively in the area of housing policy, argues that it’s time to consider an integrated approach to ending segregation in Northern Ireland recently attended an event at the House demolished in north Belfast. The NIHE was of Lords in London to celebrate 25 instrumental in brokering a deal with local years of the work of the Integrated communities which demonstrated how EIducation Fun housing organisations have been, and are, a Tony Carson, whose father was the major influence, when it comes to our late comedian Frank Carson, had invited divided communities. me to the event. Frank was a great Would it not Not only are new housing estates supporter of integrated education in being built by housing associations to cater Northern Ireland. for those who want to live in integrated During the evening I was introduced be more housing but the NIHE itself is working to people who were genuinely interested across neighbourhoods in Northern in my work as a professor of housing. appropriate to Ireland to develop cohesion and However, when asked questions about integration on existing estates. shared education, I had to reply that whilst Where people may not actually live I knew about the good work that was consider areas together they may wish to share activities, being done, I wasn’t up to date with key what we would call ‘activity integration’. policy areas on the subject. But on the where people Many of these activities could be other hand, many of those I met knew developed in the new integrated schools very little about housing policy. Which are prepared that are being developed or indeed within got me thinking about why are we working existing segregated schools. in silos? This does happen in some areas but We talk about shared education and to live more could be done across the education shared housing but there is little overlap to and housing spheres. Today the my knowledge, on policies and practices in toge‘th’er as terminology in housing, right across the these two crucial areas post conflict. United Kingdom, is dominated by In 2013 the Stormont Executive community investment and social published Towards Building a United areas that enterprises. There has been a consensus Community (TBUC) with an aim to taking that social housing should aim to deal with down all peace lines by 2023 and to might attract disadvantage and not create it. strengthen the supply of mixed social The NIHE and housing associations housing across Northern Ireland. children are well placed to invest in their The Department for Communities communities and to encourage community (DfC) and the Northern Ireland Housing development initiatives. They can tackle Executive (NIHE) are working with a to shared high unemployment rates in number of housing associations to neighbourhoods by helping people into create 10 purpose-built mixed religion education? work through boosting knowledge and neighbourhoods, and to date are skills. Where better to do this than making progress with five of these working in partnership with education completed. The same document set out through courses within schools as well as proposals to establish 10 shared education providing work placements for those in campuses and five of these have been secondary and higher education. identified with work under way. Housing organisations are creating But it appears that there is very little community spaces and neighbourhood overlap and the campuses are not located services to improve well being and in areas where shared housing is being help people live happier and healthy built. Would it not be more appropriate to lives and working with education consider areas where people are prepared establishments would provide a to live together as areas that might attract perfect combination. children to shared education? Let’s not talk about integrated The TBUC strategy even deals with education and integrated housing education and housing in separate sections separately. again with little overlap. Let’s instead have an integrated In early 2016 the first peace line was approach to tackling segregation. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 18

JVaneI HEarWdy asSked fthre moaimn pol itTicahl paertie sH for ill their take on the shared/integrated education discussion in Northern Ireland and where should funding best be allocated?

Peter Weir, DUP education spokesperson and former Education Secretary, said: e have a mixed education model in Northern Ireland, with a range of sectors. While that probably wouldn’t be the case if wWe were starting afresh today, we are not starting from a blank page. We need to respect the rights of parents to make their own choices. There is, however, a caveat that I would put to this, which is driven by a level of practicality, as obviously you can’t and shouldn’t have a street on every street corner. At a certain level there is a false level of dichotomy between shared and integrated education, and you can have a level of shared education that can lead to fully integrated education. The emphasis in education has got to be on a number of things, including the needs of pupils and of the schools estate as a whole, particularly in the current stringent financial context. I introduced a review of the funding formula in terms of distribution. Areas of social deprivation get extra funding , but the question is how you balance funding across the system in a fair and equitable manner?

Sinn Féin MLA and education spokesperson Karen Mullan said: inn Féin recognise the importance of parental choice in education. We recognise the valuable role that integrated education plays within our diverse eSducation system. Sinn Fein have shown our active support for integrated schools under several Sinn Fein education ministers. Where demand for an integrated school is established we will continue to support the provision of integrated schools.

Rosemary Barton, Ulster Unionist MLA and education spokesperson, said: orthern Ireland’s education system remains deeply divided and this is something I believe has to change. It’s not productive socially and it’s Ncausing a duplication of services which we simply can’t afford to go on paying for indefinitely. I believe shared education, in which children and schools are brought together in a meaningful and pragmatic matter, does have an important role to play in bringing the differing school sectors together. However, I also believe to secure the real benefits of educating children together, shared education has to be part of a longer term process leading ultimately to a single education system for Northern Ireland. Of course, whilst I recognise this will not happen today or tomorrow, I believe it is something Northern Ireland should be working towards. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 19 SDLP children and young people spokesperson Colin McGrath said: he SDLP believes that a high-quality education system is the cornerstone of a progressive society and that it plays a vital role in preparing cThildren and young people for the future. We believe that an investment in educating children is an investment in our economy and in our ability to com - pete globally. Equipping our pupils with cutting-edge skills will create a sustainable, vibrant economy able to generate modern jobs in the future. The SDLP is committed to parental choice and access for pupils to faith-based, integrated, Irish-medium and state education. We want to see local schools based within and supported by local communities. To that end, the SDLP believes that pupils should be supported, and funded, in the route that they choose to go down. There has been a systemic failure to provide schools with the funding that they require. Principals and teachers have had to do a lot more with a lot less over the last number of years. In terms of education funding, we are at breaking point – the SDLP is hearing that message again and again. School budgets have already been cut to the bone and any further reductions will have a disastrous impact on the quality of education that our young people receive.

Alliance Party spokesperson on integrated education, Kellie Armstrong MLA, said: lliance is committed to an integrated school system. This means enabling parents and schools: to transform an existing school to become Aintegrated, to develop and grow integrated schools to ensure they can provide a place for every child and family who wish to attend, and to review the shared education provision to ensure children who attend other schools have an opportunity to come together in an effective education programme – “not just to kayak or climb walls” as one group of pupils have highlighted to me. The reason integrated education is stuck with the seven percent figure is because we have reached the current capacity available to integrated schools. For many parents, it is not appropriate to expect our children to attend a non-integrated school. Many of the so called ‘mixed schools’ do not have an integrated ethos with young people confirming their minority identity was ignored, not nurtured, in their controlled school. If Northern Ireland is to respect the parental choice, then the Department of Education and its minister has to enable more provision of integrated education to meet demand. Alliance remains committed to integrated education. We would like to see measurement of the outcomes being achieved by shared education and a deliberate move towards the Fermanagh Trust model of shared education that brings not only the local students together but has a whole community development at its core. Too many people in education and politics have a vested interest in educating children apart.

Steven Agnew, Green Party leader, said: We cannot expect to heal the divisions in our society while we continue to divide our children from the age of four years old. The Green Party believes that integrated education should be given priority. In my view at its worst, the so-called ‘shared education’ model is nothing more than a way of condemning another generation of children to segregation. It is time for the Department of Education to step up and meet its obligation to encourage and facilitate the development of integrated education.

• Read our interview with Steven Agnew on page 20 VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 20

‘We don’t need Protestant teachers and Catholic teachers – we should teach our children together’ Green Party leader Steven Agnew, above, tells Brian Pelan why he firmly rejects the argument for shared education reen Party leader Steven Agnew How did you find him, I asked. instead of what I think integration does, didn’t mince his words when he “As I always say: ‘He was a good which is educating children together, wrote about shared education in teacher, he should have stuck to it’.” shared education, at its worse, will 2G014 for the Belfast Telegraph. I got the feeling that Steven has been educate children separately in the “Imagine... children from both a asked this question before and laughs as he same space. Protestant and Catholic community gives his reply. “If you bring children together, with - background going to the same school “Economics always made sense to out bringing them together under the building for their education. Imagine them me despite some people’s perception of same ethos, you are saying that these peo - going to the same classrooms (at different the Greens.” ple are different from you.” times), using the same sports facilities (at Given that he was educated in the He rejected the argument that shared different times) and going to the same state sector – mainly attended by education, whilst perhaps with a assembly hall (at different times) in Protestants, one of his first interactions much slower progress, will in time lead to different uniforms. with Catholics was donating blood at one more integration. “To paraphrase Martin Luther King: I of their schools. “It was an initiative set up “You have to go back to the context have a dream that my two little by the Northerm Ireland Blood Transfusion of why did shared education happen? Said children will one day live in a nation where Service. Catholic pupils would come Steven. “We received report after report they will not be judged by their perceived to our schools to donate blood and saying we had empty school desks, empty religious background but by the content of vice versa.” classrooms, too many schools for the their character. We then went on to discuss his number of pupils. We need a solution and “I have a dream today. But the reality description of the “reality of shared realise that this is unsustainable. of shared education is a nightmare.” education as a nightmare”. “The reason why I think that it is a I went to Stormont recently to talk to “I think there is a spectrum when it nightmare, because that was the Steven about why he held such strong comes to shared education,” said Steven. opportunity when we should have had views on the subject. “There will be good and bad practice integrated education. Since the collapse of the Assembly the as it evolves. I think at its worst it “Instead the powers-that-be (the building has the air of an empty ghostly will be two schools – one Catholic, one Council for Catholic Maintained Schools vessel, patiently awaiting the return of its Protestant – going into two different ends (CCMS), Protestant churches, the DUP and inhabitants. of the same building, wearing different Sinn Fein), who wanted to retain having Amidst the eery silence, I sat down to uniforms with different principals and each different schools, supported the concept of interview the Green Party leader in his having a different ethos. shared education. office. And unsurprisingly, he hadn’t “To me, that is worse than what we “We don’t need Protestant teachers changed his opinion in the slightest. have now. If you put a bunch of kids in the and Catholic teachers – we should teach “I was fairly academic when I was at same space together but put on different our children together.” school so on the whole it was a fairly ties – then that is the symbol – they are However, he remains optimistic about positive experience. I briefly had DUP MP different than us. the future for integrated education despite Sammy Wilson as my economics teacher. “The ‘nightmare’ scenario is that the challenges. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 21

Barbara Ward: the chair for the Shared Education Learning Forum (SELF) ‘Shared education is not a halfway house to integrated education...’ Barbara Ward, former principal of a Catholic school, tells Una Murphy why she is excited about the plan to build a new shared campus in Ballycastle in Co Antrim

from one another; this includes amending “It is not just about ticking boxes, By Una Murphy school timetables and holidays. shared education is a passion and belief in e want shared education to have The two schools share GCSE and what it can offer a community.” impact, Barbara Ward, the chair A-level subjects including Religion and Ms Ward, along with the principal of for the Shared Education History classes and the teaching staff “have Ballycastle High School Ian Williamson, told WLearning Forum (SELF), told VIEW to deal with issues which could have Northern Ireland politicians at Stormont in magazine. created divisions in the class”, she said. October 2014 how their two schools She was the principal of Cross and “Teaching skills are essential to shared lessons and even allowed their sixth Passion College in Ballycastle, Co Antrim, devising learning experiences to break formers into the town at the same time for 17 years before taking up the post with down barriers and to look at challenges for lunch. SELF. Her former school will be part of a that they (the teachers) and the children Politicians in the education committee new shared campus with Ballycastle High might face.” heard evidence from the principals during School in a few years’ time. In a sense the Ballycastle shared an inquiry into shared and integrated edu - “We want children who can school campus is the poster child for cation in October 2014. participate in a culturally diverse shared education in Northern Ireland, as Ms Ward told them that shared society,” she told me when we met in the two schools took part in the learning started with teenagers in both Belfast. “It is not a halfway house to announcement by the Northern Ireland schools studying for GCSE exams “but integrated education.” Department of Education about the shared each school has its own identity and Shared education will have a school campuses in July 2014. ethos. This offers parents a choice of generational impact in Ballycastle from The shared school campus in Omagh, their child receiving a faith-based education school pupils from Cross and Passion Col - Co Tyrone, is discussed on page 10 in or not”. lege and Ballycastle High School forming this edition of VIEW. Another shared Mr Williamson told the politicians that friendships to their grandparents, Ms Ward school campus is planned for Limavady, “the initial desire to build on meeting an said. “The two schools are enabling pupils Co Derry. education need has grown and developed to get to know each other as people,” “Sterotypical myths are being over decades into a symbiotic she added. challenged by young people who can go relationship which has resulted in the The planned shared school campus in into a Catholic school with its symbolism success story that the arrangement in the Co Antrim town will be the such as the GAA roll of honour and Ballycastle has become.” culmination of years of working together controlled schools with their roll of Ms Ward is now taking the shared by the two schools – which have been honour for the war dead of World War education message beyond Ballycastle, with described as a “width of a road” in distance One,” she said. more events planned by SELF this year. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 22

Joe Kenny, who is blind,tells VIEW why he is a huge supporter of fully integrated Proud parent: Joe Kenny, who works in the voluntary sector in Belfast, with his children education Struan, Oisin and Niamh

’m now 40 and I have never heard one thought to how unusual this was in terms convincing argument yet for educating of wider Northern Ireland society. When I young people in anything but a fully grew up a bit and learnt the darker, more iIntegrated environment. I’m totally blind, as adult ways of the world, I knew how blind as it gets, really, and I was educated in lucky we’d been, and still carry this with a special school for children with me today. visual and hearing loss for all but the first To me there was a lot lacking in terms year of my formal education. of our formal education, but whether by I lost my sight aged five due to Every time accident or design, they got a little complications from congenital glaucoma. functioning pocket of cultural integration in Back then, in the early 1980s, a rural a small school outside Belfast. Given that it primary school simply couldn’t cope another child was the 1980s/1990s, I still thank my lucky with a child who was blind or who had stars that I managed to duck at least one poor sight. is treated attempt at brain washing tribalism along My remaining memories of Primary the way. One involve me sitting in the corner under Whether we’re talking about a bright lamp, away from the rest of the differently... integrated education in terms of religion class, tracing shapes in a book with a really or physical/sensory disability, our thick crayon. During that year I developed another brick expectations and our future outlook an eye infection and lost my sight – more are absolutely shaped by those early or less overnight – in the Royal Victoria is added school years. Hospital in Belfast. If we want our adults of tomorrow to I now joke that as disabled kids be well adjusted, outward looking, needing educated in the 1980s, we weren’t to that wall go-getters, then surely by now we should even entitled to segregated education like integrated and ‘non-’denominational have realised the benefits of inclusive and our sighted siblings and peers. We were all environment. Yes, we had separate integrated education. sent to a special school and that was that. Religious Education classes and every so Every time a child is treated Over the years I’ve made no secret of often a priest would appear to say Mass differently or forced to take a separate the fact that I believe our standard of and half of us stayed and the other half path, or is told “no you can’t”, because of education was low compared to that of my didn’t. The rest of the curriculum and their disability or background, another sighted peers who attended mainstream recreation time was spent with Protestant brick is added to that wall and when they education. I don’t believe we were pushed and Catholics and any other faith or grow up, climbing back over that wall can enough academically. I left there in 1995, a religion all together, and guess what, we all be tricky, sometimes impossible. year later than mainstream school leavers, survived and our souls have as You don’t get a second crack at with only six GCSEs to show for my time. much chance of Heaven or Hell as they school. Yes, you can go back to education in At 17 when I was finishing school, ever did. later life. School is so much more than everyone else was halfway through their Green or Orange, and those who academic achievement, though. It’s where a A-levels or already starting work. couldn’t see the difference anyway, laughed little person learns to be a big person and All that said, we had an integrated and ran, fought and played together, where we learn what it means to belong to school, we were educated in a totally wearing the same uniform and not giving a a tribe. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 23

A long way to integration, but I live in hope

Eileen Chan Hu, executive director/founder of ‘CRAICNI, which focuses on integration, cohesion and inclusive action, argues that her experience of going to school as an ethnic minority child has led her to the belief that the education system must treat every pupil or student as a person

hen I heard that VIEW’s next conflicting values. We need more of these bullying of any nature and the whole publication was about murals which represent the country and other assembly had to learn ‘Sticks and shared/integrated education, I people in a positive light, while keeping a bond Stones will….’ after I encountered Wwas very interested. which stops hate.” – David Boriceanu this harassment. We are all aware that Northern There are many excellent examples of To’day this would be known as Ireland is not a country with only two initiatives, projects and programmes zero-tolerance. main religious groups, with many striving to work better for all our children, The fact that racism still hurts and nationalities and mixed nationalities living regardless of race, religion, faith and hurts other generations below me, makes in our 1.83 million population (Census background. The Integrated Education me feel very uncomfortable and shows 2011). Approximately 10 percent of the Fund’s reports on, ‘ A Primary School Good there is a long way to integration, but I live population is from an ethnic minority Practice Guide for Newcomer Integration and in hope. background. Do we have 10 percent Support,’ ‘Supporting Newcomers in Malone Integration is not about giving up our inclusiveness in ‘integrated’ education? College ’, and ‘ A Citizens’ Panel Toolkit for own characters, nor to focus on their As a child growing up, I attended my Schools ’ cite good practice and comments differences. The hope I have is that primary school as the first black, minority from young people today about what integrated education concentrates on and ethnic child and the only one is needed. viewing any child, pupil or student as a throughout my primary school years. By From the focus groups with pupils, person. Finally, I leave you with a positive the time I reached grammar school, I was one quote sticks in my mind: “ The racist experience from Malone College, the second only ethnic minority pupil. The taunts began in earnest.The person who made “This type of racism hasn’t happened to same happened at grammar school where I up the rhyme ‘sticks and stones may break my me in Malone College. I have found most remained the only ethnic minority child for bones, but names will never hurt me’ didn’t people to be tolerant and friendly. I have been most of my school years there and visible know what they were talking about.” – from treated with respect by the teachers, pupils in terms of colour. an 18-year-old female student at and other members of staff. I find that What does the word ‘integration’ Hazelwood Integrated College in everyone is quite interested to find out about mean? In Chinese, the word literally means north Belfast. my life, culture and religion. I get lots of putting different cultures together, based While the vision for integrated opportunities to help other newcomers from on positive moral concepts. To highlight education remains for a peaceful society Somalia with their development of the English ‘integration’, CRAICNI is working on a between Catholics and Protestants, we language in our new bilingual centre. I also Diverse Murals Project from this year and must not forget that sectarianism is a form help out at my local youth club and my work in consultation with young people, one of of hatred, as is racism, and in Northern involves bringing people from different com - our participants said: Ireland they sit hand in hand. munities together. I am happy that I have “Some of them show what people find I picked the above quote as it come to Northern Ireland and I am precious about their homeland, while others resonated with me that as a young girl in determined to work hard and make the most show hatred of some sort to the opposing primary school, I survived the name-calling of the opportunities that come my way.” – side, which I disagree with. Both parties are because of the leadership of an amazing Year 10 female student from humans, hatred only appears from different, headmaster who tolerated no hatred or Somalia. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 24 COMMENT Poll results show little appetite for change

Ulf Hansson, a politics lecturer at the School of Education, Dalarna University, Sweden, argues that there has still not been a massive change of heart when it comes to implementing integrated education in Northern Ireland

n 2013 (1) we noticed there had been very Integrated Education, there has been some little ‘movement’ regarding policies minor policy moves. enhancing Integrated Education, we However based on election results in sItated that Integrated Education ‘…has 2016 and 2017 it is hard to envisage received little, if any, direct references in further movement politically as long as the subsequent broad policy and specific DUP and Sinn Fein remain the two largest education documents. (2013, p 51). parties, none of which exactly are ardent

By 2014, however Integrated the ‘supporters’ of Integrated Education. (9) Committee for Education had agreed to It is hard to undertake an inquiry, which focused on 1: See Hansson, U., O’Connor Bones, U. & Mc - Cord, J. (2013b) Whatever happened to inte - Shared and Integrated Education. (2) envisage further In its conclusions, the Committee – grated education?. Shared Space, 15,47–62. 2: The Terms of Reference for the Committee’s inquiry regarding Integrated Education (and its movement were, amongst other things, to review the nature and def - limited uptake) – urged the Department of inition of Shared Education and Integrated Education Education (DE) to undertake an across all educational phases, but also to identify the key independent review of its relevant actions politically as barriers and enablers for Shared Education and Integrated to-date relating to Integrated Education. Education, etc. The review, presented in November long as the DUP http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/globalassets/documents/re - 2016 contained 39 recommendations, of ports/education/inquiry-into-shared-and-integrated-educa - which the key ones emphasised the need tion-vol-one.pdf for a more structured approach and Sinn Fein 3: Integrating Education in Northern Ireland: particularly regarding the transformation Celebrating Inclusiveness and Fostering Inno - of schools and in area planning, engaging vation in our Schools. The Report of the Inde - remain the two pendent Review of Integrated Education to Mr with local communities around Peter Weir MLA, Minister for Education, innovative integrated, jointly managed and ‘’ Northern Ireland by Prof Margaret Topping largest parties shared options. and Mr Colm M Cavanagh November 2016 Another recommendation was to https://www.ief.org.uk/wp- place a duty on Department of Education content/uploads/2017/03/Integrating-Educa - (DE) and the Education Authority (EA) and tion-Report.pdf a power on all other arms-length bodies to 4: Integration Works – Transforming your School Guidance https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/integration- encourage, facilitate and promote works-transforming-your-school-guidance integrated education. (3) It is in the light of 5: Alliance Party (2017) How to change North - this, that the DE launched its new guide for ern Ireland. For good. Manifesto 2017 the transformation of schools. (4) https://allianceparty.org/document/mani - Politically there has not been a festo/2017-assembly-manifesto#document massive change of hearts, of the same teachers in the same classroom. 6: SDLP (2017) Education http://www.sdlp.ie/issues/inte - the larger parties the Alliance Party Within this framework, it is still grating-education/ is still the strongest advocate of possible to have a diversity of religious 7: UUP (2017) A manifesto for real partner - integrated education. elements built into the students’ weekly ship. A plan for a better Northern Ireland. Manifesto 2017. See Its election manifestos from 2016 and schedule. (6) However, the UUP has 2017 refer to the placing of Integrated remained tepid and while in 2016, referring https://uup.org/assets/policies/uup%20ae17.p df Education at the centre of its education to ‘integrating’ education in 2017 8: Its election manifesto 2009 referred to ‘…special privi - policy platform. In 2017 the party referred references were made to greater leges for integrated and Irish Medium schools, which con - to a detailed plan for the expansion of mixing within and between different sequently drain resources away from other sectors.’ In 2015 2015 the party referred to ‘…no school sector or integrated education in Northern schools and sectors. (7) Ireland, wanting the next Executive Amongst the two largest parties, Sinn ethos should be afforded extra statutory protection to make a very clear commitment to Fein has referred to parental choice and within the law’. 9: It is worth referring to the Stormont House integrated education. (5) has not fully endorsing Integrated While parties such as SDLP and UPP Education, whereas the DUP – has Agreement (2014), in which there was a contribution of up to £500m over 10 years of were indifferent in 2013, by 2016 the SDLP remained critical of Integrated Education. (8) new capital funding to support shared and referred to the ending of segregation in None of the two parties referred to integrated education (see education, and in 2017 the party promoted or discussed integrated education in their https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/ an approach, labelled the SDLP model for manifestos from 2016 and 2017. It is clear system/uploads/attachment_data/file/390673 integration, and in which ‘all children – based on this short resume - that while /Stormont_House_Agreement_Financial_Anne wearing the same uniform being taught by there is not an exuberance surrounding x.pdf.) VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 25 COMMENT Religous diversity lacking in our schools

Matthew Milliken, who is conducting PhD research at Ulster University, argues that there is a risk that investing in shared education may only produce limited peace-building outcomes

wenty years have passed since the cohort of trainee teachers that attend St signing of the Belfast Agreement, yet Mary’s, it is offered only as an it would appear that the physical optional extra at the predominantly sTeparation of the two communities that Protestant Stranmillis. Northern Ireland was symptomatic of the previous three has long standing Fair Employment laws, decades of the Troubles is as apparent now nevertheless schools are one of very few as it had been prior to Good Friday 1998. places of work here that can still use Peace walls are still in place. Public The system Religion as a legitimate selection criteria housing is predominantly ‘single-identity’. for employment and promotion. And, in spite of a commitment included in of division is The system of division is the Agreement to “facilitate and self-sustaining – teachers are encouraged encourage” integrated education, only and supported to remain within ‘their own around seven percent of pupils currently self-sustaining – side’. It is wholly plausible that many attend schools that have a consciously teachers follow a wholly community and deliberately mixed body of students teachers are consistent path; that they remain within a and staff. homogenous setting from primary school, It could be argued that the encouraged and to post-primary, to teaching college, to integrationist zeitgeist heralded by the teaching practice and into employment. peace process has been replaced by a Teaching is a heavily unionised pragmatic acceptance of the status quo of supported to profession and even the unions that community division and that the shared ed - teachers elect to join may reflect patterns ucation policy is consistent with that mind remain within of separation. The Irish National Teachers shift; the enduring community Organisation (INTO), an all-Ireland union, division of schools has been accepted by ‘the‘ir o’wn side’ is strongly represented in CCMS schools, the policy makers. whilst the Ulster Teachers Union (UTU) Significantly, whilst shared education (which broke away from INTO in the run actively encourages co-operation between up to the partition of Ireland) operates schools across the divide, the focus of such only in Northern Ireland and draws its initiatives is primarily upon school membership predominantly from the improvement – improvement in controlled sector. Interestingly, relations community relations is afforded only between the two unions have improved in secondary status in the policy. engage with ‘the other side’.School recent years and they are currently If pupils merely sit alongside one staffrooms are, on the whole, homogenous. collaborating on a number of issues of another in class without ever really Schools lack the religiously diverse work - common concern. engaging in discussion around the difficult forces that would be expected in other or - It is a bizarre paradox that whilst the issues that still affect inter-community ganisations. cultural encapsulation evident in the relations, there remains a very real risk It is also wholly plausible to expect teaching profession is rarely present in any that the investment in shared education that many in the teaching profession will other workplace, there are very few other (and for that matter integrated have had fewer opportunities to engage occupations that require the worker to education) will produce only very limited with colleagues across the community di - reach as consciously and actively across peace-building outcomes. vide on a daily basis than those in other the community divide. Over the years of Education for places of work – at any stage of A combination of employment Mutual Understanding (EMU), Community their career. policies and practices, curriculum Relations, Equality and Diversity policy and The employment of teachers in requirements and patterns of teacher strategy (CRED) and other community community consistent settings is education contribute to this separation. relations policies in education, studies underpinned by a series of policies, If generations of teachers are to be in conducted with teachers have consistently practices and perceptions that preserve a position to develop the capacity to indicated that they felt unprepared the community division evident in the effectively prepare pupils for participation for engaging in the exploration of deployment of the teaching workforce. in an ever more inclusive and accepting contentious issues. All primary schools are required to society – through shared and/or integrated This should come as little surprise to teach Religious Education (RE) – those education – then they will need those familiar with the mechanisms that schools within the auspices of the Council opportunities for meaningful are in place for the training and for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) cross-community professional contact, deployment of teachers in Northern require that any teacher seeking sharing and cross-over at all stages of Ireland. These systems are singularly employment have a Catholic Church-ap - their career. ill-suited to equipping teachers with the proved teaching certificate. This will require a review of the skills and mindset necessary to support the Whilst this is provided as a matter of factors as outlined above that collectively next generation to understand and course to the almost exclusively Catholic serve to maintain their separation. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 26

A school building in the town of Travnik in central Bosnia with a fence in between. The building hosts a primary school and grammar school for Croats/Catholics, while the yellow part of building is the secondary school for Bosniaks Two schools under one roof is a crime equal to apartheid ‘ Bosnia-based journalist Katarina Panić examines a deeply-divided education system in her country which led to a year-long protest by ’ students against ethnic segregation

hen I visited Northern to identify which ethnic group they along ethnic and religious lines in Ireland five years ago, my belonged to. post-conflict Bosnia ever since. It took 26 Belfast guide said that Up until then I thought we were all years before a new generation came out people living there are Yugoslavs. But some teachers refused to and refused to be separated by their pretty certain if accept such answers, claiming that was nationality. Last year, a group of pupils in someone is either a Catholic or a Protes - citizenship only. I had to ask my parents the town of Jajce raised their voices against tWant by asking three simple questions: What what was my nationality as well as my segregation by protesting in the streets is their name? Where do they live? And religion. Not being aware of these and jointly displayed Bosnian and Croatian which school did they attend? identities was a product of communism. It flags. Today in Bosnia we don’t have to go is debatable whether it was an advantage. “Two schools under one roof is a so far. Someone’s name is usually Communism in this part of the crime equal to apartheid. Do we have to enough to find out whether they are a Balkans ended in the 1990s – splitting up pass through the same horror as we did in Serb (Orthodox), Croat (Catholic) or former Yugoslavia into seven countries. (1) primary school? One divided school costs Bosniak (Muslim). The concept of ‘brotherhood and a lot, we don’t want to have another one,” It wasn’t like that in 1991 before war unity’, the greatest boast of President Tito's one of the pupils said. broke out in the former Yugoslavia. I was regime (the former leader of Yugoslavia), The local government had decided to 15 years of age at the time when the disappeared in the bloodiest conflict on separate two high schools, but it reversed teachers in the grammar school I attended European soil since World War Two. this decision after pupils protested in my hometown of Prijedor asked pupils Strong divisions have been generated and with strong pressure also from the VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 27

One of the signs at the June 20 rally last year in Jajce depicted a drawing of apples and pears, with the words, ‘We can do it together’. It was in reference to much-criticised comments by the former education minister Greta Kuna, who once said that students from different ethnic backgrounds could not attend the same schools because you can’t mix “apples and pears” WNV/Anela Ibraković international community. (2) “Most fascinat - three-member presidency (one Bosniak, from one ethnic group are not going to the ing is that those are the pupils who were one Serb and one Croat), two entities and closest school, as is the rule, but completely separated through their pri - one district, and 10 cantons in one commuting to the closest school where mary education. Bosniaks and Croats have of two entities. (4) their ethnic group dominates. been attending separated primary schools There is no state level ministry for “In the town of Travnik pupils are in Jajce and even though they are products education, rather there are 13 lower level separated with a fence. I don't know if it is of segregation, they are now completely ministries and consequentially a wide barbed wire, and what to expect from the opposed to segregation and fight against variety of different education systems children growing up in a way they cannot new divisions the government tried to im - and curricula. play football with other children and pose. The divisions appear through several looking at each other through the fence,” “It surely gives us hope for the fu - models. Firstly, there are schools physically said MP Aleksandra Pandurević in Bosnia’s ture,” Mervan Miraš ija from Open Society separated, in completely separated parliament during a discussion on Fund, Bosnia Herzegčovina, told local media. buildings. Secondly, there are literally two segregated education. But other politicians, The battle by pupils in Bosnia instantly schools under one roof and among them who advocate segregation, believe that this became viral. It attracted the media from two types: those with parallel, separated is the only way to keep one’s national all over the world and gathered support administration (two principals, two identity and freedom. from human rights activists, musicians, secretaries, two assembly halls) and those athletes and a non-governmental with common, shared administration but organisation. “The idea of unity is two different curricula. Thirdly, there are incredible in society which celebrates schools where pupils are separated only every single sort of divisions, in a society during classes of so-called national group 1. Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia- full of prejudices. Dear pupils, your of school subjects (mother tongue, Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, action is so inspiring,” said Bosnian rapper literature, history, geography, religious Kosovo and Macedonia. Edo Maajka. (3) and art – topics where no shared views Contrary to this almost romantic are possible). 2. SCE, Council of Europe, US aspect of the story comes a much more Finally, there are schools where one embassy, EU Mission, Office of the realistic one in a deeply divided education ethnic group is the majority and pupils High Representative (body estab - system. For more than two decades since from different ethnical background are lished by Dayton Peace the end of the war it was stable, simply in it. Those who advocate the last Agreement which has the power institutionalised and mostly untouchable. type call it either inclusion or integration. to impose and to abolish the laws Although the international supervisors and Minority groups who oppose such a and to dismiss local officials). civil society organisations have been trying system call it assimilation. If there is a to minimise the divisions, local politicians certain percentage of pupils from 3. Bosnian rapper Edo Maajka was have been desperately trying to keep them a non-dominated ethnic group, the school a victim of hate speech after he alive counting on the ethnic homogeneity is obliged to organize separated classes for married a Jewish woman. which keeps them in power. them, but in real life that is not always A colleague from Croatia once said the case. 4. Decisions have to be made by that the education system in Bosnia is so A few years ago this led to a street consensus and therefore all the complicated that even local experts hardly protest from pupils and parents from reforms are pretty slow. There is understand it. And even if you try to eastern Bosnia. They boycotted the school a mechanism of so-called vital simplify it as much as possible, it is hard and spent a few weeks in the capital national interest protection – a not to start with the parallels in the Sarajevo sleeping in tents in front of the type of veto every ethnic group political system where power is divided in Office for High Representative (OHR) may apply in order to avoid being a relatively weak state level run by a building. Sometimes it happens that pupils outvoted. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 28 COMMENT A message to shout from the rooftops

Mark Langhammer, director of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, argues that the integrated sector needs to make the strength of its socially-mixed intake a key calling card to effectively grow its numbers round seven to eight percent of point. Why? Because socially mixed school school pupils in Northern Ireland intakes improve educational performance. attend integrated schools. This The integrated sector, for reasons best sAegment is large enough to constitute known to itself, don’t scream this from the ‘challenger’ status to the more rooftops. Instead, they hide their communally segregated controlled and socially-mixed ace-card under a bushel. The maintained sectors, but runs some way integrated sector need to think again on behind the repeated popularity of the this and make social-balance their key integrated option in societal and parental One tool that calling card. opinion polling. It has long been generally accepted Notwithstanding the statutory academically, if not acted upon by responsibility within the Education Reform the integrated policymakers, that overall school Order 1989 on the Department of performance improves with balanced Education to encourage and facilitate movement has intakes. In schools with balanced intakes, integrated schooling (known as the Article pupils from wealthier families improve a 64 duty), numbers at integrated schools bit, but pupils from poor backgrounds have effectively, plateaued. been slow to improve radically. Everyone is With the financial crash, and years of a winner. subsequent planned austerity, capital embrace is the Decades of research evidence funding for new-build schools has demonstrates that the one key factor in atrophied. Coupled with movement status of the raising performance at school for the towards school closures and most, the middle and the least able, is a rationalisation from the 2006 Bain Report mixed intake of pupils. In schools with onwards, it is clear that growth within sector as mixed intakes pupils learn about each integrated education won’t come through ‘’ other; they see different dispositions to new integrated schools, but from growing the most learning; they recognise each others’ skills pupil numbers at existing schools, or from – and those pupils who suffer the most processes like school-transformation. deprivation and exclusion see that Some integrated schools have socially-mixed education can provide them with the successfully pushed the boundaries. skills and knowledge to make a different Hazelwood Integrated College in north life for themselves. Belfast will stretch to around 1,000 by In schools lacking that social mix, 2018. Drumragh Integrated College in where the only examples of other ways of Omagh successfully secured a High Court life are teachers – the jump is too big, the judgement against the Department of gap too wide. Education in 2014 to grow pupil numbers another effort to transform a Catholic For the most disadvantaged young through a development proposal. Progress school to integrated – at Clintyclay people, the most important role model is through this route, however, remains slow, Primary in Dungannon – was attempted by someone who looks like them, who is their even glacial. parents in 2014, under threat of closure. age, who mucks about on the same social Transformations are more likely to Whilst transformation has not occurred, media platforms, listens to the same music, come from the controlled sector, usually despite a successful parental ballot, follows the same Premiership teams, but from schools with falling rolls attempting parents, through a court action, who has different attitudes to learning and to stay open. did frustrate efforts by the Council for different aspirations for life. As a young Newtownabbey councillor, Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) and So, if we are really to make a I was one of the first to spearhead an the minister to close the school. difference, if standards really are to rise for attempt at transforming a Catholic One tool that the integrated all, we need schools which are socially maintained school to integrated status. My movement has been slow to embrace is mixed, in which peer group pressure can efforts with the brave parents of Stella the status of the sector as the most be used effectively to open minds, change Maris Primary School (on the edge of socially-mixed. All integrated primaries are outlooks and raise aspirations. Rathcoole estate) saw parents force, and comprehensive in intake. Most integrated Socially balanced intakes leads to win, a ballot only to see the then secondaries are either non-selective or use better educational outcomes. The direct rule Minister of Education Richard ‘grammar streams’ to ensure a reasonable integrated sector must shout this Needham back closure over social balance in enrollment. message from the rooftops and watch its transformation. It was years before Social balance should be a big selling numbers grow. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 29 COMMENT We need to fight for secular education

John McAnulty, former teacher and ex-chairman of the Northern Committee of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO), argues that a call for integrated education should be a call for secular education ur local integrated school system allowing integrated education to be boasts 42 primary schools and 20 penned in a middle class ghetto with no secondary sector schools. Where real challenge to the status quo. sOchools are established they are routinely So what is the alternative? Any over-subscribed. A council to promote teacher will tell you that the many integrated education is well established, as attempts to reform society through school is a charitable fund to provide seed funds programmes have limited effect. for new schools. A March 2000 survey Progressive societies produce progressive showed 85 percent of parents supporting We want a schools to a much greater extent than integration. The Good Friday Agreement the converse. pledged to encourage and support society that The history of educational reform in integrated education. Britain and Ireland is one of mass Yet Sinn Fein organised street political movements, not glacial protests to block the suggestion that two allows each administrative adjustment. tiny teacher training colleges, situated A call for integrated education should within a mile of each other, be merged into child to be a call for secular education. Bowing to one. Before Stormont collapsed a DUP all points on the religious compass will minister managed to return to reach their full leave one dizzy. Integration of religious Westminster almost £50 million which had groups is largely meaningless outside a been earmarked for integrated education. broader movement for social justice. We The majority of the political parties potential, where can hardly support integration while and the trade unions are enthusiastic supporting ongoing discrimination on supporters of “integrating” or “shared” no one has grounds of social class. education, where segregated schools share We should not fudge on history and sites and/or resources. Hundreds of ‘’ culture. An agreed Irish history may not be millions of pounds have been diverted to special privilege immediately available. An inclusive one this approach. As local columnist certainly is. It is the duty of schools to Newton Emerson pointed out some time and where provide grounding in basic elements of the ago, this is a pretty transparent way of Irish language and to provide space so that opposing integration. adults can live anyone who wishes to can achieve fluency. The movement for integrated Applying these axioms means building education is like a punch-drunk boxer with a movement for social justice that rejects tunnel vision. As the blows rain in from all in comfort absolutely bigotry and discrimination in all directions, they focus on the next school, areas of society. It means absolute hoping that in the time of our and dignity separation of church and state. children’s children we will see an It means comprehensive education integrated school system. that aims to overcome educational Yet this is impossible within the disadvantage rather than amplify the current dispensation. The most recent effects of social class. attempt at modernisation was the Most of us have an inbuilt reflex when Education and Skills Authority (ESA). The it comes to naked bigotry. We avert our aim was to combine all five education eyes and declaim our neutrality. That is the boards into a single authority and, foundation of the “equality of the two more widely, to pull together the traditions” position. different sectors. That’s what has led to growing and After years of sectarian wrangling the more systemic sectarianism, to greater and ESA was finally established. Rather than greater barriers to integrated education replacing the various sectors all the old and to the corruption and decay of divisions were bolted together in the new political institutions. structure. In fact state secondary schools We want a society that allows each claimed that they were being discriminated child to reach their full potential, where no against and were duly given a one has special privilege, and where adults representative body and added to the pile. can live in comfort and dignity. It should be evident that accepting And if we want that, we’ll have to fight sectoral designation is simply a way of for it. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 30

COMMENT

Shared education needs to widen its aims Dave Thompson, who was a teacher at Forge Integrated Primary School in Belfast, believes that education in this part of the world has to contribute to building peace e’ll get to shared and integrated government, so if shared education is the education in a minute; the bigger best we can do right now, fair enough. question is, what is education I don’t mean that to sound dismissive. aWctually for? For now, I’m going to stick If shared education encourages a state with equipping pupils with personal skills, school and a Catholic school from an understanding of the world, and opposite ends of the town to meet preparation for employment. These are regularly, and, who knows, maybe even overlapping, and interdependent. We all I hope, no move next door to each other, then that’s know talented people who don’t work well progress. Maybe one day those children with others. Nobody wants a dentist who will be able to share all classes together, really gets diversity, but has a matter how without any loss of who they are. happy-go-lucky attitude to root canal. I do have some concerns, however. There’s room for all three. we label For shared education to achieve maximum Integrated education came about at a change, it can’t only be about sharing time in Northern Ireland when pupils were subjects. That’s a great starting point, but being prepared for work through a con - education, it then comes actually understanding each tent-based curriculum that often taught other; politics, languages, skin colour, reli - them about 1066 and the Tudors, tsunamis gifts pupils an gious belief, sexuality, flags and emblems, and oxbow lakes, but was scant on more culture, stereotypes and prejudices. The pressing issues such as why are we a understanding whole shooting match. In our case, literally. segregated society? Why are we killing I heard one principal involved in a shared each other? Or more personal questions, education project sum it up well, “we such as, what’s my part in all of this? We and the stopped going out on trips, because we weren’t spending much time talking about wanted to spend time with each other.” the State we were in. expe‘rie’nce Secondly, younger teachers have Integrated education was an effort to entered a system overly concerned with educate pupils of all backgrounds together, data and results. That’s for another time, in order to understand and appreciate of mediation but the effect can be that scores are prized each other and help us move closer to an above all else. Have we returned to a integrated society. and resolving funnelled focus on grades (which are Until recently, I taught in a controlled important) with personal skills and integrated school, with an integrated ethos conflict understanding of the world squeezed in that permeated every subject and every order to get there? system. We talked about our similarities As well as achievement of grades, I and differences. We learned to articulate believe education in this part of the world our identities, and appreciate the identities has to contribute to building peace. of others. We compared religions. Parents Integrated education allowed me to be a were welcomed. We discussed what was tiny part of that. Shared education needs on the news (in an age-appropriate way). to be about encouraging our teachers and We talked about how we wanted this place school leaders of the next 20 years to and the world to be. Yes, other schools do equip pupils to be peace builders, that too, though in my experience not to confident in their own identity in a the same degree. multicultural society. The statistics show that we remain I hope, no matter how we label heavily divided in education, integrated education, it gifts pupils an understanding education is still only seven percent of the and experience of mediation and resolving sector and it’s a key component of moving conflict, the ability to see other towards an integrated society. Change perspectives, and the creativity to imagine comes slowly. what a better, more integrated society As I write, we still haven’t agreed on a looks like. VIEW, Issue 45, 2018 www.viewdigital.org Page 31 And now for another thing

My school was missing two things: girl‘s ’and Protestants

Comedian Tim McGarry, above, who was educated at St Malachy’s College, Belfast, tells journalist Jane Hardy why he is a huge supporter of integrated education omedian Tim McGarry opened our McGarry and his wife have two sons, He put forward the argument that interview by saying: “There were neither of whom have attended integrated one of the main reason why integrated two things wrong about my schools. “Oh, call me a hypocrite,” he education had not taken off in Northern eCxcellent education at St Malachy’s, Belfast. declared dramatically. “The reason is Ireland – as it should – is the lack of That was the lack of girls and Protestants, simple – both boys wanted to play soccer choice, illustrated by his sons’ inability to both very important elements, as I later and the school their father wanted them find a football-friendly, integrated discovered.” He gave me one of his to go to, Belfast Royal Academy, is a secondary in Belfast. trademark wry smiles as he finished rugby-playing institution. Tim, who before we met, was working his lines. Tim, who is a patron of the Northern on a BBC Radio Ulster programme T he The actor and presenter of The Blame Ireland Humanist Society, is firmly against Long And The Short Of It with historian and Game (BBC NI) knows where he stands, what he sees as the “education cop-out of Orangeman Dr David Hume, feels that a or sits, as we drink coffee in a Belfast cafe. shared education” – it’s nothing but revised education system is crucial to the Tim attended a Catholic primary before educational apartheid”. future of our country. going to the grammar school. He said that He said that in this country we not He noted that the history he learnt at he “saw through the religious education only mainly go to different schools, we also school didn’t touch any English history, but part of the curriculum” fairly early on. get different versions of the news. that making this programme had given “I was about 15 years of age. I read Tim also has strong views on the him new insights into the other side of Bertrand Russell who wrote that ‘God cultural ghettoisation of the Northern his birthplace. didn’t create man, man created God’. I Ireland variety. “We even read separate The comedian, who once worked as a thought: ‘That’s interesting’.” papers,” he added. I did notice though that lawyer for the Equal Opportunities Fifty-three-year-old McGarry later he came to the interview with a copy of Commission in the 1990s, made a final added that he would like to enforce The Irish News under his arm. point as we finished the interview. “Every secular education in Northern Ireland. Tim added that there were one or election we circle the wagons, but in In 2012 he fronted a short two entertaining side-effects of the divided integrated education you meet at the promotional film for the Integrated cultural and education system. “Jamie other side. In a society where the two Education Fund. He said it was a labour of Bryson wouldn't be Jamie Bryson chief religious groupings tend to live in love. “Oh no, I wasn’t paid,” he laughed. without that.” different areas, this is an important move.” P

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