OVER 70 per cent of parents wish to retain their children’s school’s ethos, according to a survey carried out by the Department of Education and Youth.
The national Primary School Survey shows that at a county level, Donegal had the lowest appetite for change.
Nationally, approximately 60 per cent of parents in denominational schools wish to retain that ethos. Whereas in Donegal over 70 per cent of parents wish to retain their children’s school’s ethos.
Meanwhile, 15 per cent of parents in English-medium schools in Donegal would prefer to have their child educated through Irish.
The department is continuing its detailed analysis of the survey data and is preparing finalised school specific reports for every primary school which will be issued in the coming weeks.
Extraordinary engagement
Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton spoke of the extraordinary level of engagement in the national survey, with over 200,000 households responding.
“While national trends provide us with a useful context, the most important insight is that every school community is different. The future of each school will be guided not by a one-size-fits-all approach, but by the preferences of its own parents, guardians and wider school community.”
“In some communities, there is a strong desire to maintain existing traditions and ethos. In others, there is a clear appetite for change, whether in relation to school type or structure. That diversity of views must be respected and reflected.
“As school-specific reports issue in the coming weeks, they will empower communities with the evidence they need to make informed decisions. This is about putting parents and school communities firmly at the heart of decision making for their schools.”
Meanwhile, Educate Together said they have seen a demand for Educate Together schools growing steadily in recent years.
“We look forward to the release of school-level survey data, so that these results can be acted on. We know that there are many schools around the country where there is a clear preference for Educate Together among a majority of parents and staff. We look forward to engaging with those schools to support them through the transfer process,” said CEO Dr Emer Nowlan.