Integrated schools are backed by new education poll
Portadown Integrated Primary School principal, Mr Feargal Magee and some of his pupils celebrate Integrated Education Week. INPT10-216.
THE principal of Portadown Integrated Primary School has spoken of his delight with the findings of a recently published opinion poll on education.
Feargal Magee said the findings of the poll, carried out by Lucid Talk and commissioned by the Integrated Education Fund (IEF), showed that the future of integrated education here is bright.
The poll indicated that the vast majority of parents in Northern Ireland would support their school becoming integrated. It also revealed that 79 per cent of parents interviewed said they would back a move to transform their child’s school to integrated, while 66 per cent of all people questioned believe integrated schools should be the main model of our education system.
More than two-thirds of those who responded said an integrated school best prepares children for living and working in a diverse society.
Mr Magee said, “It is very pleasing to see such a positive response from people to the integrated education mode and very encouraging that the future of integrated education is bright. Many people in our community have for religious, cultural and personal reasons stated that they would like to have their children educated in an environment that actively promotes understanding and celebration of all people and backgrounds.
“Those that have experienced the integrated education model talk about the value that it has given to them personally.”
A representative sample of 1,167 Northern Ireland residents, aged 18 and above, were interviewed for the poll. The polling was carried out across 22 selected geographic areas of Northern Ireland, including Craigavon and surrounding districts.
Speaking after the publication of results, Tina Merron, chief executive of the IEF, said, “It seems that current government policy is to enshrine and bolster the status quo. Yet these poll results show continuing public support for a single education system, for integrating schools and for offering what voters say is the best preparation for young people facing an increasingly diverse world of work.”
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Weather for Portadown
Tuesday 21 May 2013
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Temperature: 9 C to 17 C
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