Integrated
Education in Northern Ireland
Integrated Education has
been hailed as one of the most significant social
developments within Northern Ireland over the last
20 years. Integrated Education brings together
children from Protestant and Catholic backgrounds
who might otherwise never meet. Its emphasis on
respect, tolerance and conflict resolution teaches
children to live as adults in a pluralist society,
recognizing—and accepting—their similarities
and differences.
 The Ireland Funds
have supported integrated education since the opening
of the very first school, Lagan College, in 1981.
The success of the College and the subsequent growth
of integrated education are thanks to the endless
campaigning and fundraising efforts of parents
in the community. It was parents, not lawmakers,
whose commitment has ensured the growth of integrated
education, and it is their vision for a peaceful,
productive society that has made integrated education
an increasingly popular choice for families.
Today
there are 62 integrated schools attended by over
16,000 children throughout Northern Ireland, many
of which have waiting lists and all of which boast
growing enrollments over the next 5 years.
The Ireland Funds
have been proud supporters of Integrated Education
for more than 25 years, believing they have an
integral and vital role to play in building a shared
future for the people of Northern Ireland.
Support from The Ireland Funds has built and improved
school facilities, purchased much-needed equipment
for classrooms and helped improved the quality and
range of services available to pupils. 2007 was a
year of tremendous growth for integrated education
and support from The Ireland Funds helped realize
some of its biggest achievements.
On the eve of the 2007
Worldwide Ireland Funds’ Conference,
supporters attended milestone events at two integrated
schools.
Oakwood Integrated Primary School
At Oakwood Integrated Primary
School, months of construction culminated in the
opening of The American Ireland Fund Integrated Pre-School
and a new after-school facility.
Offering all-day preschool care has enabled the
school to better serve the local community. Currently,
95 children participate in the breakfast, pre-school
and after-school programmes based in the new facility.
Oakwood Principal Olwin Frost
said “The financial
support from The Ireland Funds has made it possible
for us to
provide a 21st century educational facility for preschool
as well as a venue for a range of after-school activities.
It has been a dream of the school to have such a
facility and The Ireland Funds have helped make that
dream become a reality.”
Rowallane Integrated College
Supporters then travelled
to Rowallane Integrated College, the second integrated
school built with support from The Ireland Funds.
Rowallane Principal Olwen Griffith invited The
Ireland Funds’ supporters
to the prize-giving ceremony that marked the end
of their first year of operation.
Honouring their
ongoing support for Rowallane, Jack & Jackie
McDonnell were invited to present the first annual
Excellence in Mathematics award. To an audience of
students, parents and staff, Jack, an American Ireland
Fund Board Director, emphasised that he and Jackie
would continue their support for integrated education
in Northern Ireland, adding “Jackie and I are
firm believers that educating children in an environment
where cultural diversity is celebrated will lay the
foundations for a peaceful and prosperous future.”
Portaferry Integrated Primary
School
Another key achievement
of 2007 was the opening of the Australian E-Learning
and Special Needs Centre at Portaferry Integrated
Primary School. In October, Dr.
Maurice Hayes officially opened the Centre, which
was named in honour of The Australian Ireland Fund
and the Sir Warwick Fairfax Trust, the project’s
chief donors. The Centre was built to provide opportunities
for E-learning as well as appropriate space and
resources for teaching children with special educational
needs. It will increase the educational support
available to children while making the school outstanding
in terms of technology and special needs provision.
This will allow the school to delivery high-quality
education to a greater number of pupils, thereby
facilitating the participation of special needs
students in integrated education.
The
Ireland Funds have identified Integrated Education
as an integral part of advancing peace and breaking
the cycle of distrust in Northern Ireland.
Thank
you for your support
Supporters of The
Ireland Funds from around the world have given
tremendous support in 2007: gifts from the
Boston, New York and Palm Beach Dinners, The
Australian Ireland Fund and the Sir Warwick
Fairfax Trust, Hugo MacNeill, Jack & Jackie
McDonnell, and Brian & Susan Dickie have all
ensured that the integrated education movement
had a successful 2007 and is set to grow even more
in 2008.
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