In an article in today's Irish News, Lauri McCusker, Director of The Fermanagh Trust, argues that the Ministerial Advisory Group on Shared Education needs creative thinkers.
The draft Programme for Government has been issued and those of us working on Shared Education have been further motivated and reassured by the inclusion of two priorities: 1. The establishment of a Ministerial Advisory Group to explore and bring forward recommendations to the Minister for Education to advance Shared Education; and 2: To ensure that all children have the opportunity to participate in Shared Education Programmes by 2015 and substantially increase the number of schools sharing facilities by 2015.
The language of senior politicians has been visionary. The Education Minister, John O’Dowd, at the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis earlier this year said: “No school, and no sector, regardless of their history, will be able to stand alone in the delivery of education, nor should they be allowed to. The First Minister, Peter Robinson has spoken of the need for a shared society and that Shared Education has a critical role in that; and the deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness told the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce: “
We have also committed to advancing Shared Education over the coming period. This is an important issue for our society. Don’t let anyone underestimate the challenge that we face in progressing shared education. There are many within our society, who may be still resistant to the reality of shared education. I make the call tonight to those who are still to be convinced of the benefits of shared education, to join us, and work with us to make our education system the best it can be.”
With cross-party support for Shared Education, with senior politicians behind the policy and with two priorities in the draft programme for Government, a key question is what next? One recommendation that we at The Fermanagh Trust would make, bearing in mind that
the Ministerial Advisory Group may not be established until April 2012, is the inclusion of Shared Education in the Viability Audit and Area Planning Processes. What is needed, as soon as possible, is a process or mechanism for how those schools identified as being under stress by the Viability Audit can be supported to identify Shared Education solutions. For example, if the Viability Audit results are published in the New Year, Shared Education is not identified in the Terms of reference as a solution or as a reference point to enable schools to explore this before a formal process of intervention gets under way. We understand the Terms of Reference for the Area Planning Process are currently being drafted and we recommend that shared solutions across-sectors are included.
The Terms of Reference for and the membership of the Ministerial Advisory Group are also critical. Its work should be time-bound and, for example, should report and make recommendations to the Minister within six months of its first meeting with the option for an interim report within three months. This would align its process with the Area Planning process. The Group should also take into consideration current Department of Education processes and advise the Minister on how Shared Education can be advanced through these or how they could stymie the advancement of Shared Education. The Ministerial Advisory Group should also hear from representatives of these schools and the communities affected by the outcome of the Viability Audit on how they can be supported to identify Shared Education Solutions.
Key to the work of the Group will be the objectives for a Northern-Ireland wide Shared Education Programme; and its recommendations for how the greater sharing of classes, teachers, administrators, Governors and schools can happen. Any legislation required will need to be identified and the membership of the group will need to draw on the full resources of the Department of Education in the execution of its task – people with knowledge of school finances on the Group will be necessary. We also recommend a cross-departmental view including OFM/DFM, DARD because of the rural issues arising and DRD to tackle the school transport question.
The Ministerial Advisory Group should be able to call witnesses, commission short pieces of research, and hear from those stakeholders with an interest/expertise/knowledge of Shared Education. Most importantly, given the vision of our politicians in mainstreaming Shared Education, the membership of the Group must include creative thinkers who are prepared to think outside the box. After more than thirty years of conflict we agree that our revenge should be the laughter of our children. That is why Shared Education commenced. We have won the why argument. Let’s get the how argument right!
Lauri McCusker is Director of The Fermanagh Trust. The Fermanagh Trust has been managing and administering the only county-wide Shared Education Programme for the last two years.
