SEP welcomes the Assembly's debate on Integrated and Shared Education

We welcome the Assembly’s recent discussion of Integrated and Shared Education and the widespread support for sharing and collaboration in our schools. Schools participating in the Sharing Education Programme (SEP) are already working together across community and management boundaries to form effective and sustainable networks that provide firm educational, societal and economic benefits.

Dominic Bradley and Basil McCrea both mentioned the work of the Sharing Education Programme and Arlene Foster mentioned the work of our sister project managed by the Fermanagh Trust. Over the coming weeks and months we hope that MLAs will continue their interest in and support for sharing education. We will be inviting MLAs into the project partnerships to see at first hand the level of commitment to sharing and collaboration and the real benefits that can be gained through sharing.

SEP has made sharing a current reality in over 200 schools from across the education spectrum, it allows pupils and teachers to take advantage of increased educational opportunities whilst respecting the right of parents and pupils to choose schools with a particular ethos, be that Maintained, Controlled, Integrated or Irish Medium.

The recent Assembly debate which resulted in the passing of a motion recognizing the economic, educational and social benefits that can come from integrated and shared education and called upon the Minister “to actively promote a system of integrated and shared education throughout Northern Ireland” was a very welcome contribution as was the First Minister’s call for a wide ranging debate on the future of education in Northern Ireland. 

It is essential that this appetite for real debate is not allowed to dissipate, the education sector is going through a period of intense change, this provides a real opportunity to shape the educational provision for the benefit of all young people in Northern Ireland. 

For further information on the Sharing Education Projects follow the links above to SEPI and SEPII.