Bishop Good of Derry and Raphoe highlighted current challenges in education in Northern Ireland.
Bishop Good said, “When the churches faced a threat to their historical rights to be nominated to Education and Library Boards in Northern Ireland, they defended their rights but sought to do so constructively by suggesting a way in which the Education and Skills Authority (ESA) could be established using a model which would ensure the churches’ involvement in education could be continued as of right. We are pleased to notice support for this idea in the manifestos of some political parties and this is encouraging. Now that the new Assembly is about to be up and running, we ask the parties to reconsider this proposal and to engage with stakeholders to develop these ideas.”
“Stranmillis College, the traditional training centre for teachers for the schools which predominantly serve the protestant community was also a key issue, Bishop Good said. He continued by referring to the proposal to merge the college with Queen’s University, “The transferor churches have a long standing connection with Stranmillis and could have adopted a defensive approach to preserve the status quo. However the status quo is no longer sustainable. Having carefully considered the proposals, the Boards of Education of the Church of Ireland, Presbyterian and Methodist churches feel that with appropriate safeguards for ethos, the merger option presented the most constructive way forward.
“Transferors have spent a lot of time with representatives of Queens University Belfast and with the Department of Employment and Learning, explaining the nature of the ethos of Controlled schools. These schools are not secular schools but are church-related with a distinctly Christian ethos. In the Stranmillis of the future, we believe this faith characteristic of such schools must be protected and enhanced. It is vital that teachers preparing for work in this unique sector receive training in the history, values and ethos of such schools and in particular how best to teach religious education in this context.
“One of the proposals is to include the Transferor churches in a Stakeholder Forum in the new merged institution, which will have an advisory and consultative role in its governance. We welcome this opportunity to have a voice for the Christian churches in a place where teachers are prepared for working in controlled schools. It restores a right snatched away a few years ago by a former Direct Rule Minister. We await the outcome of the consultation on this proposal and the drafting of the various legislative safeguards.
“These examples I hope illustrate clearly from the work of this Board the potential of the vision and positive influence which church members bring in their engagement with public education.”