A private member’s bill aims to bring about more integrated education in Northern Ireland.
Non-integrated schools are the norm in Northern Ireland and there has been strong resistance to the bill within both political and religious circles.
As it now approaches its final stages, here are some key points about the bill.
Key points: The Integrated Education Bill
• The bill has been brought forward by the Alliance Party’s Kellie Armstrong.
• It would increase the number of integrated school places and establish targets for the number of pupils being educated in integrated schools.
• Approximately 7 per cent of pupils in Northern Ireland are educated in around 65 formally integrated schools, which aim to mix pupils from Protestant, Catholic and other backgrounds.
• Some 143 out of about 1,000 schools in Northern Ireland have at least 10 per cent of pupils from a Protestant background and 10 at least 10 per cent from a Catholic background.
• There are either no Catholic or no Protestant pupils in around 30 per cent (287) of Northern Ireland’s schools.
• Some non-integrated schools also have a mix of pupils from different religious backgrounds.
• Northern Ireland’s oldest integrated school, Lagan College in south Belfast - which has backed the new bill - opened with 28 pupils in a Scout centre in 1981.
• The bill would increase the number of integrated school places and set targets for the number of children being educated in integrated schools.
• Education spokespersons from each of the four main churches have been critical of aspects of the bill when giving evidence to Stormont’s education committee.
• The bill has also divided political parties, with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) opposed, although most other parties at Stormont have signalled support.
