Catholic schools shake-up plan
Diocesan Administrator, Monsignor Eamon Martin.
The Catholic Church in Derry have proposed a radical shake up of post-primary education in the city which could signal the end of academic selection, single sex schools, and the creation of two new sixth-form colleges.
The ambitious proposals are contained in a new document, ‘Together Towards Tomorrow,’ written by Diocesan Administrator, Monsignor Eamon Martin.
Mons. Martin is proposing a “family” of Catholic post-primary schools across the city working together in a new partnership towards a phased transition from academic selection. The proposals also include a “substantive change” to the shape of post-16 education in the city with the possible establishment of one or two new sixth form colleges catering for 1,800 students.
Mons. Martin said the move “proposes a partnership of distinct but linked Catholic post-primary schools in the Derry area known as the Le Chéile Partnership.” Le Chéile is Irish for ‘together’.
The initiative is designed to improve education provision, tackle disadvantage, and strengthen links between schools.
The 22-page document sets out short, medium and long term objectives which, if implemented, could lead to a major overhaul of the post-primary provision in Derry and see an end to the current structures of single-sex grammar and secondary schools.
Mons. Martin said the proposals, which will now go out to consultation, are unique to Derry. “We are taking a lead here. I am sure other places will be interested to see how this will go down.
“I am quite concerned that we are losing good schools. It is time for us to work together to protect the school estate and our young people. That might mean looking less at the institutions of schools and thinking about what we are doing for our children as a whole,” he said.
The Diocesan Administrator acknowledged that the proposals may not be popular with the three Catholic grammar schools. “I am hoping that they will look positively on these proposals. I am calling for dialogue and debate,” he said.
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Comments
There are 3 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
celticloca
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 12:31 AMOh Yes Monseigneur Martin is it not true that you yourself enjoyed a Grammar School Education . Would you be where you are today without having had this ? It is the opportunity to have a good education that has brought the Catholics of this beautiful city up from the gutter to holding respectable professional positions . Why abolish what we know to be good ? Yours disappointed
ccn
Thursday, March 1, 2012 at 01:55 PMThe proposals to abolish academic selection and the three catholic grammar schools in Derry are shockingly disturbing. Why is academic selection made the enemy? It might not be right for every young person in Derry, but it is right and good to nurture and encourage academic ability wherever possible! After all catholics should realise academic ability is a gift of god! Why destroy the grammar schools? Lumen Christi co-educational grammar school is a great success story of which Derry and the catholic council should be proud. St Columb's and Thornhill College are also well respected catholic schools! Yes, disadvantaged young people need support and help to give their best and have a brighter future - but why is destroying excellent schools that are academically successful - and full of talented and happy young people - the answer or a solution??????
michealoneill
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 05:08 PMThese proposals are lacking in any concrete substance. The 'Foundation" model is largely meaningless, and appears to be little more than the educational equivalent of a shared services centre. We find the unverified assumption underlying these proposals that children currently educated in grammar schools will be dispersed more or less equally through non-selective schools. This will not happen; it has not happened elsewhere, and it will not happen in Derry. Many Catholic parents will, where they can, opt out of the Catholic educational system in favour of non-Catholic schools. Any businessman would conduct an impact study on business proposals - why have the Senior Trustees not done so? If they have, what were the results? Why this doctrinaire opposition to academic selection? It is certainly not contrary to Church doctrine and is somewhat hypocritical given that the Church seems more than happy to control socially exclusive, fee paying (yet partially state-funded) schools in the South...
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