Educate Together

Vol. 5 No. 11 – July 5th, 2005

End of School Year Newsletter

The National Office would like to wish everyone the very best over the summer months. We would like to thank all those who worked tirelessly with the sector in a voluntary capacity throughout the year. Your contribution is priceless and essential to building a national network of human rights based, multi-denominational school across the country. This has been a very successful year for the sector with four new schools opening last September and another four due to open in September 2005. The National Office is facing demand to set up multi-denominational schools in over 30 areas across the country.

Key Areas of Progress and Development for this School Year Include:

The publication of the “Learn Together” curriculum – the first multi-denominational ethical education curriculum produced in Ireland for National schools and the start of the process of its incorporation into pre-service and in-service programmes for National School teachers
The recommendation of the United Nations that the State promote the development of multi-denominational schools
The negotiated abolition of the €63,500 local contribution required for new State-owned school buildings
New schools in priority areas now being provided with accommodation by the State from the outset
The opening of the first permanent building for a school operating with the national patronage of Educate Together
The opening of four new Educate Together National schools and the recognition of five more schools sanctioned for this coming September
700 more places created in the sector this year
32 new mainstream permanent teaching positions
Radical upgrade of the sector’s website
Launch of the national fund-raising programme “Friends of Educate Together”
Publication of the first public information booklet “What is an Educate Together National School”
Continued progress in the provision of Board of Management and Start-up association training
Major progress in the planning process for new schools in areas of housing development
Major progress in partnership with primary management bodies, local authorities, educational institutions, teachers unions and the Department of Education and Science
Full implementation of the plan for internal governance of Educate Together with the streamlined Board of Directors and innovative “National Forum” structure.

This level of progress and development reflects the great changes in Irish society. Educate Together is now the fastest growing sector in primary education. It has become a strong and diverse sector covering a wide range of school types from, small rural schools, to large schools in new suburbs. Its established schools have earned high reputations and it has consistently been able to attract outstanding teaching professionals. This September Educate Together will offer 35 new teaching posts.

Educate Together remains the only primary patronage system that is legally bound to provide equality of access and esteem to children irrespective of their social, cultural or religious backgrounds. An exception amongst such patron bodies, it is fully bound by all nine grounds of the State’s equality legislation.

Funding Crisis for Multi-denominational Education

In light of recent progress and demands Educate Together is still facing a severe funding crisis this summer. At present, the National Office exists on a State grant of less than €41,000 per annum whilst our current level of operations cost approximately €500,000. Educate Together is shocked that €500 million has been returned unspent to the Department of Finance from the Department of Education and Science over the last 8 years. A staggering €95 million was returned last year. It is unacceptable that these levels of available funds are not being made work hard for the benefit and integration of all children living in Ireland.

The sector works with voluntary communities nationwide setting up schools on a mere 0.0000058% of the Department of Education’s annual budget, less than 6 one millionths of the total. This type of figure usually disappears in the ‘rounding errors’ of Government budgets. This month, the Department increased this grant by €1,000 to €40,800 per annum. Even the current minimal services that the organisation provides cost €500,000 p.a.. Despite being made aware of this need since 2002, no significant change of policy has been forthcoming. The current lack of State funding will result in Educate Together being forced to start reducing its services to schools and downsizing our activities. It will be to the lasting historic shame of this government if this is allowed to happen due to lack of foresight, planning or timely decision making by a Government whose exchequer is awash with unspent funds.

This can be avoided. It is necessary for the government to act immediately. Multi-denominational classrooms must be a part of the future, and changes in attitude and policy must be welcomed.

In the past five years the number of Educate Together schools has doubled in the country. Educate Together is the fastest growing sector in Irish education. This September, 4 more schools will open and we are working in another 30 areas across the country. These developments can not go forward unless we can provide them with professional back up and support.

Educate Together has a vision for the future of Education in Ireland. We simply can not fulfil this vision without emergency funding assistance. Please consider making a donation to support our work on our website:
http://www.educatetogether.ie/4_help_us_with_our_work/donations.html

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© Educate Together, 2005