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Ruane boost for integration

Wednesday, 9 September 2009

With her unilateral declaration to abolish the 11-plus, Caitriona Ruane unwittingly created fertile conditions to bring about an expansion of integrated education in Northern Ireland.

Many will hedge their bets and take both the GL assessment test and the AQE tests, it being crucially important to obtain that elusive grammar school place whether in the Catholic or Protestant sector.

Methodist College and Belfast Royal Academy are, in practice, already integrated. In the current climate of desperation to obtain a grammar school place, an expansion of a mixed intake in other grammars is highly likely.

Caitriona Ruane may go down in history as the education minister who, through her attack on grammar schools, contributed to the expansion of integrated education here.

PETER WHITEHOUSE

Newtownabbey

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YES to integrated education.

NO to religiously segregated schools.

End religious apartheid now!

Posted by Will Hawkes | 10.09.09, 12:10 GMT

Sadly I don't think that the promotion of Integrated education ranks high on Mrs Ruanes' educational agenda. She totally ignores how socially divisive it is!

Posted by TJ McClean | 09.09.09, 19:11 GMT

Let's hope that is exactly what happens. Integrated education is the only viable way forward if the climate of mutual suspicion and misunderstanding is to be ended in Northern Ireland.

Posted by Saighdúirí | 09.09.09, 12:50 GMT

You're correct Peter but also many of the other Grammar schools have a mixed population and, in that sense, the formal Integrated sector is a waste of cash.

Posted by Ed | 09.09.09, 12:45 GMT

Early indications are that Catholic children are entering for both the AQE and GL tests but Protestant pupils are going for the AQE only. Non- denominational grammar schools are currently integrated and free from the suspect evangelism and personality cult of the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education executive. Two of their comprehensive colleges( Lagan and Slemish ) have now embraced academic selection.
Many interesting outcomes lie ahead.

Posted by George | 09.09.09, 11:26 GMT