Integrated Education Remains the Best Blueprint to Transform NI Education

Last week, on December 13th, the AlumNI attended the high-profile launch of the long-awaited Independent Review of Education report. Led by Dr Keir Bloomer, the expert panel has spent two years scrutinising all aspects of education here in Northern Ireland, from preschool to post-grad. Their aim is to set out a practical yet transformational vision for truly world-class education over the next 20 years.

Unfortunately, the backdrop is bleak – funding per pupil here significantly trails England, there are acute budget deficits this year, and the system is described as in "meltdown". Clearly, major reform and investments are imperative.

Integrated Education and the Independent Review of Education?

The report encourages groups of schools from different sectors to come together in new arrangements described as community schools that are "jointly managed". The goal is to increase the sharing of resources and expertise, while expanding diversity and interaction among pupils and teachers from varying backgrounds. The report views these jointly managed community schools as something other than a new type of integrated school model, per se.

Similarly, some clusters of schools containing integrated schools (alongside controlled, Catholic-maintained, Irish- medium, and other types of schools) could form these jointly-run networks. Along with the IEF, the AlumNI is also “encouraged by the Review recommending reform of the area planning process, with the suggestion of an Area Planning Commission and recognising the need to establish a single Department for the entire education journey”.

The hope outlined in the report is that in the long-term, such moves could result in around 20% of Northern Ireland pupils being educated in what would essentially be integrated classrooms. Moreover, if the schools themselves were not strictly defined as integrated, this would still demonstrate that the best way forward for education in NI remains integrating schools in terms of social integration, as well as long-term costs. Northern Ireland's model of "shared education", while a small step forward, has had a fraction of the impact that fully integrated schools have achieved in promoting lasting attitudinal and social change.

The Independent Review has encouraged reforming the area planning process by establishing an Area Planning Commission and a single Department for Education to oversee the entire learning journey. This "Integrated-lite" approach shares some resources between schools but falls well short of the meaningful integration that the Review itself identified as being needed.

Overall

AlumNI believes that integrated education has made a significant and highly positive contribution to Northern Irish education, and to broader society. We would wish to see it expand. The report says, "All learners at all stages should have the opportunity to learn alongside individuals from other communities and backgrounds in the same classroom." We welcome this principle, which aligns closely with the integrated movement's long-standing goals. 

As always, thank you, the AlumNI trustees, our base and the wider integrated movement for your support and engagement with us.

The findings of the Independent Review of Education can be found here.

Matthew G O’Neill

Chair

Integrated AlumNI