Integrated Education Fund

Teachers, parents and politicians were urged to use “Sanity Not Vanity” as they consider the way forward for education in Northern Ireland, when a visitor from a project in Lancashire spoke at a debate hosted by the Integrated Education Fund in the Senate Chamber in Parliament Buildings.  A range of speakers and an invited audience were asked to consider the proposal that “The Time is Right for a Fully Integrated System of Education.”   

Helen Flanagan, who was born and brought up in Northern Ireland,  is a director of the SHARES project in Lancashire – a collective organisation dedicated to improving schools and the life-chances of pupils, and of which she is a director. The SHARES project was established by schools in an area of multiple deprivation, facing budget challenges and empty desks. The scheme has led to improvements in behaviour and educational standards in the area, and financial savings. 

Helen said “We abandon vanity and use sanity; principals act as critical friends to each other and share problems and expertise.  This all contributes to high attainment.  If a fully integrated system of education in Northern Ireland would mean building closer relationships across communities whilst celebrating each others’ right to diversity, then I support it. Most importantly it could equip our young people to work together, learn together and respect each other and seems to be the logical way forward.”

Two teenagers took the floor: Jake Proctor, a fourteen year-old pupil from Strangford Integrated College and Cathal O’Hagan, who is studying for A-levels at St Louis’ Grammar School in Ballymena.  Principals representing different sectors talked about their vision for the future and how they work to make their schools welcoming for all pupils.

The debate was sponsored by MLAs Mervyn Storey, Conall McDevitt and Trevor Lunn and chaired by journalist and TV presenter Linda Bryans. Former BBC correspondent Denis Murray shared his perceptions of the changes in education, and in the wider community in Northern Ireland, over the past thirty years.

A perspective from the Republic of Ireland came from Paul Rowe, Chief Executive of the Educate Together organisation, who looked at diversity within schools and who pointed out that young people across the island of Ireland are facing a more diverse world than their parents. He said an integrated or shared school is not a neutral space but one where everything can be openly discussed and explored, and where minority children are not simply absorbed into the majority ethos. He argued that this is a fundamental right for children.

Karin Eyben, Public Affairs Manager of the IEF, said “We have heard today how schools of all types in Northern Ireland strive for an open and welcoming ethos but face challenges in implementing this. Encouragingly, the message coming from the Senate Chamber today is that collaboration is possible, that schools are open to sharing and this can help in tackling the many challenges facing education today.”

This view was underlined when SDLP Education Spokesman Conall McDevitt remarked “I look around this room and I don’t see a lobby, I see a community of people with an interest in education and its capacity to build society.”

DUP MLA Mervyn Storey, Chair of the Education Committee, added “No-one should feel threatened by change….no sector should feel undermined; but let’s not forget children have to be at the centre, not parties nor institutions.”

The event is one in a series of community engagement conferences hosted by the Integrated Education Fund around Northern Ireland to engage politicians and stakeholders in a public conversation about the future of education. 

Prior to the Senate Chamber debate a seminar took place to discuss ‘Growing inclusive schools & relationships – Stories form our neighbours’, featuring case studies from Educate Together in the Republic of Ireland and the Lancashire Shares Project. To listen to the seminar click play below: