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Summer time trials and tribulations for Educate
Together - 1st September 2003
After a difficult and trying summer, Educate Together
is thrilled to announce that three new schools have opened their
doors this morning. The schools are in Rush, Newbridge and Wicklow.
This brings the total of Educate Together primary schools in Ireland
to 31. It is the fastest growing sector in Irish education and
has doubled in size over the past four years.
Huge congratulations are due to each of the voluntary
groups that have created these new schools. They have persevered
in spite of many problems and the obstacles that have been thrown
up at them. While it has always been difficult to open new Educate
Together schools, this year has really tested our volunteers to
the limit. The new procedures of recognition for new schools,
while welcomed, are in practice extremely complex and in places
quite unworkable.
According to Jane Mc Carthy, Development Officer;
“a huge amount of work and stress is being placed on voluntary
groups of parents, who are simply exercising their constitutional
right to choose an education for their child”.
Last November, Educate Together applied to open
seven new primary schools this September. The Department of Education
and Science was given more notice of these applications than ever
before. However, the new system introduced by the Department has
been dogged by delays and administrative difficulties. Despite
a public commitment that all new schools would be approved by
the end of March, this year’s schools were not finally approved
until August 25th, the last week of the summer holidays! In all
Educate Together’s experience of opening new schools this
is the latest date at which approval has been confirmed. At the
centre of these difficulties is the insistence of the Department
that it will not become involved in sourcing accommodation for
new schools.
The difficulties faced by these voluntary groups
of parents, from recruiting staff to signing leases on buildings,
have been extremely stressful for all involved, and their achievements
in spite of such difficulties are testament to their belief in
an educational philosophy that respects and cherishes the identity
of children from all religious, social and cultural backgrounds.
Educate Together schools are based on the principle that:
"All children have equal rights of access
to the school, and children of all social, cultural and religious
backgrounds are equally respected"
Unfortunately Limerick City East Educate Together
were refused planning permission on their proposed premises in
August, and although they sourced another building (purpose built
for educational use, enough space to accommodate the school for
10 years), the DES deemed the rent of the building (€65k
per annum) too high and would not sanction recognition for the
school.
North East Mayo Educate Together and Clonee/Ongar
Educate Together realised in June that they would not be able
to source adequate accommodation or meet all the requirements
of the DES in time. They have decided instead to work towards
setting up schools in 2004/2005.
Educate Together has serious concerns about the
fact that while on the one hand, we are told that we have to source
temporary accommodation for 7-10 years, when we do locate such
a building, the DES refuses to provide the necessary funding.
Educate Together once again higlights the absurdity of a system
that recognises the legitimate demand of parents for a school
and then refuses to provide the accommodation in which it can
open. This connects a parent’s rights to their ability to
access property and inherently discriminates against the disadvantaged.
The three schools that have opened today are:-
Wicklow Educate Together
National School
Has opened in temporary accommodation in part of the Wicklow Bay
Hostel in Wicklow town. The maximum number of pupils the building
can accommodate is 23 and this will be a mixture of age groups
up to 2nd class.
Mary Feerick-Byrne has been appointed Principal. Mary was previously
a senior teacher at the John Scottus National School in Dublin.
South Kildare Educate Together
National School
Has opened in Rosetown Rugby Club outside Newbridge. Temporary
structures will be placed on the grounds of the rugby club during
the first term and the school will be accommodated here from January.
Approximately 20 children, both Junior & Senior Infants will
commence on September 1st. Eimear Carey has been appointed Principal.
Eimear was previously a senior teacher in Rathfarnham Educate
Together National School, Dublin.
Rush & Lusk Educate Together
National School
Has opened in the Gate Lodge, Kenure Park with 25 pupils,
ranging from Junior Infants to 6th class. Marie Moreau has been
appointed Principal. Marie Moreau was previously on secondment
with the City of Dublin VEC developing multi-cultural programmes
for schools and working in schools in Lesotho, Southern Africa.
Educate Together would like to wish all the new
schools and Principals the best of luck for the coming year.
For further information and enrolment information
please contact the Educate Together National Office
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