Ruane Denies School Integration Bid

There will be considerable disappointment in south Belfast this week with news that the NI Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, has turned down a development proposal for Knockbreda Primary School to acquire integrated status.

Explaining the reasons for her decision to deny the school's bid to draw pupils from across all religions and backgrounds, Ms Ruane said: "Each development proposal is carefully considered based upon all of the available information, and there are a number of factors which must be examined to assess a transformation proposal.

"These include the likelihood of a successful transformation, and the potential impact upon other schools in the area.

"Enrolments have been falling in the area and I was concerned about the impact that the proposal could have on existing integrated provision," she said.

The Minister said people would be disappointed: "I appreciate that this news will be disappointing for the school and parents, but I must consider the position overall for the schools in the area.

"This is why we need to develop the area-based planning approach which would assess the anticipated educational needs in an area and how they should best be met.

"My statement to the Assembly on 4 March set out preliminary work on area-based planning, focused on post-primary, and this will need to be developed further across the sector," she said.

There has been a long-running battle to acquire the cross-community educational status for the school.

Two years ago, Castlereagh Alliance Councillor Michael Long slammed the then direct-rule Education Minister, Maria Eagle's decision not to allow Knockbreda Primary School transform to integrated status.

At the time he said: "I cannot comprehend why the Minister has come to the conclusion that Knockbreda Primary School should be denied the chance to have integrated status.

"The Minister has denied the will of local parents who wanted to see the school gain integrated status.

"There absolutely is no reason for the government to refuse to allow this transformation.

"If people did not know otherwise, such moves would suggest that the government is dead set against creating a shared future in Northern Ireland," he said, claiming that the then Education Minister was 'out of step' with the whole idea of a shared future.

Now, even with devolution firmly established, the decision remains the same and the bid by the South Eastern Education and Library Board to push ahead with the transformation of Knockbreda Primary School to controlled integrated status with effect from 1 September 2008, has failed.

At present, Knockbreda Primary School is a co-educational controlled primary school.

(BMcC)