Gaelscoil Na Daroige losing bid to join campus with Groarty Primary School
TWO school principals in Derry have blasted a decision by the Education Authority (EA) to turn down a shared bilingual campus.
The EA refused the application on behalf of Groarty Integrated Primary School and Gaelscoil Na Daróige earlier this week.
The shared campus was intended to let children from different backgrounds to be educated together.
The EA said the schools “did not meet the criteria”.
In March 2016, six new schools were given money to provide shared education under the Stormont House and Fresh Start agreements.
The funding, totalling £43m, will allow shared education campuses to be built in Moy, Limavady and Ballycastle.
Existing integrated primary schools in Ballymena, Limavady and Ballynahinch will also get new buildings.
The principal of Groarty Integrated Primary School said it had received cross community support for the project.
“I would challenge the Education Authority to show me a shared education programme that has more community support than we have,” Nick Tomlinson said.
“This is the anger of two school communities that have developed strong friendships across different cultural backgrounds.
“Protestant and catholic, Irish medium and English medium, faith and no faith. Surely we should be backing these kind of projects to move forward?” he asked.
Ciaran Doran, whose daughter goes to Groarty PS said the school needed help.
“I feel that children that go to integrated education should have the same facilities as any other mainstream school,” he said.
“Some of the portacabins we have here, which makes up 70-80% of the school, are not in great condition.
“There’s mould, bad plaster work, rotten wood… all of this has had to be repaired by money raised by the parents group.”
In a statement to the BBC, the Education Authority said: “In deciding whether to endorse applications, EA refers to the gateway checks and essential criteria that will be used by the Department of Education in the final assessment process.
“EA will not endorse applications that, in its view, do not meet that criteria.
“EA forwards all applications, including those that have not been endorsed, to the Department of Education,” a spokesperson added.
Oisín Mac Eochaidh, principal of Gaelscoil Na Daróige, urged action.
“Our children are taking part in a worthwhile project in an area of high depravation,” Mr Mac Eochaidh said.
“This application is still in the hands of the Department of Education and we would urge them to do the right thing.
“It is a uniquely an Irish language project too, welcoming all sides of the community, and I would have thought this was a plan worth investing in.”
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