Public Continue to Support Integrated Education
by NICIE
The latest independent research on public attitudes to education in NI shows very strong support for closer integration and sharing across the traditional school sectors.
The findings come from a survey about attitudes towards Integrated Education, carried out on behalf of NICIE by Millward Brown Ulster.
Preference for Integrated Education
Public support for formally integrated schools remains very high. When asked what type of school they would prefer their children or grandchildren to attend, more than 4 in 10 (43%) stated that they would prefer that they attended an integrated school. 29% preferred state controlled, 22% said Catholic maintained and 3% Irish Medium.
Reasons for not sending children/grandchildren to an integrated school
When those whose children or grandchildren who do not attend, or have never attended, an integrated school were asked their reasons for not sending their children/grandchildren to an integrated school, 34% said it was because there are no integrated schools available in their area. (Other reasons included 10% who didn’t know enough about integrated education, 5% who prefer a single denomination school, 5% who are opposed to integrated education in principle and 4% who want to send them can’t find them a place – i.e. the integrated school is oversubscribed).
Awareness of how to change school status to become integrated
Yet despite this stated preference for an integrated education, few parents and grandparents with children / grandchildren of school age or younger were clear about how the process of integration could be initiated. When asked if parents at their child’s school wish their school to become integrated, only 7% were aware that the process could be initiated by parents and school governors.
Significantly however, when respondents were told that a school could become integrated if 20% of parents with children at the school made a written request for this to happen, almost two thirds (64%) claimed they would support a parents request to transform their child’s school into an integrated school.
Importance of Integrated Education to Northern Ireland
There was a very high importance placed on Integrated Education in terms of its contribution in promoting mutual respect and understanding by the general public at large (all 1001 respondents). When asked ‘How important or unimportant is integrated education in promoting mutual respect and understanding in Northern Ireland?’ 63% saw it as ‘very important’ and a further 21% as ‘fairly important’.
When asked ‘how important or unimportant is integrated education in promoting a shared and better future for Northern Ireland?’, once again, there was similar importance placed on Integrated Education by the general public with 63% of all respondents stating Integrated Education was ‘very important’ in promoting a shared and better future for Northern Ireland, a further 21% said it was ‘fairly important’.
Support for Sharing and Collaborating between schools
A huge 79% of parents and grandparents with children of school age or younger supported schools sharing facilities with the nearest school even if from a different type (sector). When asked: ‘Irrespective of the school type you would prefer, would you support or oppose the school, your children or grandchildren attend, partnering, sharing facilities or collaborating with other nearby schools even if they are a different type?’ 38% strongly supported this idea and 41% supported it, with only 7% opposing it.
Support for Joint Management of schools by Churches
Very interestingly, when asked ‘Would you support or be opposed to the establishment of a jointly managed church school, that is, a school that the management of the school is shared between the catholic and Protestant churches?’, just over two thirds 67% - of parents and grandparents with children/grandchildren of school age or younger support the establishment of a school which is jointly managed by both Catholic and Protestant churches. Only 17% opposed this suggestion. (31% strongly support; 36% support; 12% oppose; 10% neither/nor; 5% strongly oppose; 6% don’t know).
Michael Wardlow, Chief Executive Officer NICIE, commented, "Yet again independent research confirms what we have known for over 30 years, that parents and grandparents of school age children in Northern Ireland want their children to be educated together. At a general level, we are very encouraged to note how many people support greater sharing and collaboration across the traditional ‘sectors’ and we would hope that the Department and other stakeholders take note of the strength of feeling in their policy making.
"The strong support for new initiatives, such as shared management of a school by the Catholic and Protestant churches, sends an encouraging though challenging message to our church leaders, by effectively saying “look at ways of helping us be together.
"We would welcome a wider debate with policy makers and other stakeholders in looking more closely as such options, particularly now, when the educational system is being significantly re-organised. We have a system which is overburdened with too many separate schools but not sufficient shared spaces to accommodate the growing demand for integration. Now is the time for evidence based planning to be at the core of decision making, if we are to provide a school estate fit for purpose for our shared and better future".
Clare Durkin, Director at Millward Brown Ulster added, ‘This research shows the continued high level of support for Integrated Education in Northern Ireland, with the public clearly regarding Integrated Education as playing a very important role on peace and reconciliation here and in promoting a shared and better future for Northern Ireland".
Background Information
This report presents the findings from a survey about attitudes towards Integrated Education, carried out on behalf of NICIE by Millward Brown Ulster Limited. Fieldwork was conducted between the 7th and 14th May 2008.
NICIE wished to conduct research about attitudes towards Integrated Education amongst the general public and in particular those with children or grandchildren aged under 19 who were still at school or college or who had children not yet started school.
All respondents, that is 1001 people, were asked which they had children or grandchildren aged under 19 who were still at school or college or not yet started. Those who did, 478 in total, formed the sample to whom most of the questions were addressed. Questions were included on the Millward Brown Ulster Omnibus Survey.