Integrated education should be the norm say 2 in 3 people in Derry & Strabane

Results from the NI-wide attitudinal poll have revealed that 66% of people living in the Derry and Strabane backed children of different faiths, backgrounds and cultures being educated together, side by side every day, and said this should be the main model for the education system.

Polling was carried out by Belfast-based independent polling and market research company LucidTalk, on behalf of the Integrated Education Fund (IEF).

The company said that over 2,300 responses were collated, and the poll was ‘balanced by gender, age-group, area of residence, and community background’.

One key finding of the poll was that there was consistent support for Integrated Education with 67%, over two thirds of those surveyed endorsing it.

Following an extensive awareness raising campaign by the IEF last Autumn, there was a subsequent increase in awareness of the Transformation process, with 73% of those polled confirming they were aware of this process.

Transformation is the term used to describe the process of changing an existing school’s status to become Integrated. The poll suggests that almost two thirds (63%) of parents would support such a move at their child’s school, which is further evidenced by a series of positive parental ballots held in schools across Northern Ireland in recent years. 70% of those polled would support all schools, regardless of management type, aiming to have a religious and cultural mix of pupils, teachers and governors.

Paul Caskey OBE, Chief Executive of the Integrated Education Fund (IEF), commenting on the results, said: “In the past five years more parents than ever before have expressed their support for Integrated Education. This is evidenced by 27 successful parental ballots taking place where a clear majority of parents have voted for their school to transform to Integrated status.

"The result of this poll highlights the high level of support for more Integrated Education from the people of Northern Ireland. Despite these findings, many areas remain with limited or no Integrated options available to children or parents. The IEF and its supporters will continue to support all efforts to increase Integrated Education provision in response to the growing demand.”

For more information on Transformation see integratemyschool.com.