Principal calls for more Irish language schools in Northern Ireland – BBC.com
Principal calls for more Irish language schools in Northern Ireland BBC.com
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There is a “dire need” for another Irish-medium post-primary school in Belfast
There is a “dire need” for another Irish-medium post-primary school in Belfast, the acting principal one of the city’s Irish-medium primary schools has said.
The Education Authority (EA) has said that Northern Ireland still needs two new Irish language post-primary schools to meet the demand for Irish-medium education.
The Education Authority (EA) has said that Northern Ireland still needs two new Irish language post-primary schools to meet the demand for Irish-medium education.
Current Situation
- There are currently two Irish-medium post primaries in Northern Ireland – Coláiste Feirste in west Belfast and Gaelcholáiste Dhoire in Dungiven.
- Coláiste Feirste has previously warned it was facing an accommodation “crisis” due to its high number of pupils.
‘Bursting at the seams’
The new EA plan contains proposals for another post-primary in north Belfast and another to serve the Londonderry, Fermanagh and Mid-Ulster areas.
Aisling Nic Giolla Bhéin is the acting principal of Scoil an Drochid in south Belfast, which has over 180 pupils.
She told BBC News NI that it was now time for the EA to deliver a new post-primary in Belfast.
- “This was highlighted two years ago in the previous plan and we are still no further along with it,” she said.
- “It’s time for the relevant authorities to stop denying the fact that this is an ever-growing sector.
- “We can’t continue to be neglected.
- “The majority of the parents send their children up to Coláiste Feirste and for some of our children that is a three-bus journey depending on where they live.
- “Coláiste Feirste are busting at the seams.”
Scoil an Droichid
Scoil an Droichid is waiting on a long-planned move to a new school site on Belfast’s Ormeau Road.
A number of new Irish-medium nursery and primary schools are also planned by the EA in areas including Londonderry, Belfast, Antrim, and Swatragh.
The EA said that a new integrated Irish language primary school in east Belfast would “meet the needs of pupils” in the area.
Loyalists had previously criticized the plan for Naíscoil na Seolta to open in the Castlereagh area of the city.
Gaelscoil Uí Dhochartaigh
In Gaelscoil Uí Dhochartaigh in Strabane, County Tyrone, some pupils face traveling to Letterkenny in County Donegal, in the Republic of Ireland, to continue their education after primary school.
Gaelscoil Uí Dhochartaigh principal Máire Ní Dhochartaigh said there was a real need for an Irish-medium post-primary nearby.
“The children could cross over the border and go to Coláiste Ailigh in Letterkenny or they could travel 40 minutes down the road to Dungiven as some of our pupils do and have done,” she said.
“But it is quite a long distance.
“So our pupils don’t have the facility to continue on in a sector that they’re comfortable in and which they have been thriving in.
“We would like to see the possibility of a secondary school in maybe Omagh which children from Strabane could feed into, or children from Fermanagh or Omagh town.
“It’s definitely needed.”
SEN schools
The EA plan has also highlighted a need for more special schools and classes for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN).
It said that the number of pupils in special schools is expected to grow from 7,600 in 2025 to around 8,700 by the end of the decade.
Education Minister Paul Givan has previously said that up to eight new special schools need to be built to meet demand.
The EA’s operational plan sets out where there needs to be more or fewer schools in Northern Ireland in the future, based on their analysis of schools and pupils in the 11 council areas.
Therefore, it could also lead to schools being closed or merged in some areas where pupil numbers are falling.
Some small rural schools have recently been earmarked for closure despite opposition from local communities.
The EA’s plans were drawn up with input from other bodies like the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS), Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta (CnaG), the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE), and the Controlled Schools’ Support Council (CSSC).
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
SDGs Addressed
- SDG 4: Quality Education
Specific Targets
- Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
- Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational, and tertiary education, including university.
Indicators
- Indicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex.
- Indicator 4.3.1: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sex.
Explanation:
The article discusses the need for additional Irish-medium post-primary schools in Belfast and other areas in Northern Ireland. This issue is related to SDG 4: Quality Education, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all. The specific targets under SDG 4 that can be identified based on the article’s content are Target 4.1 and Target 4.3.
Target 4.1 focuses on ensuring that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education. The article highlights the need for new post-primary schools to meet the demand for Irish-medium education, indicating a need for equitable access to quality education.
Target 4.3 aims to ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational, and tertiary education. The article mentions the need for new Irish-medium nursery and primary schools, indicating a need for affordable and quality education in the Irish-medium sector.
The indicators mentioned in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets are Indicator 4.1.1 and Indicator 4.3.1. Indicator 4.1.1 measures the proportion of children and young people achieving minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics, which reflects the quality of education provided. Indicator 4.3.1 measures the participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training, reflecting access to education and training opportunities.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes. | Indicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children and young people (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by sex. |
| SDG 4: Quality Education | Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational, and tertiary education, including university. | Indicator 4.3.1: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sex. |
Source: bbc.com
