Archbishop Eamon Martin has urged parents to make their voices heard on a national survey of school choice or risk that choice being taken away from them.
“Parents, who value their current school ethos, should be sure to fill-in this short survey. Otherwise, the choice of future school provision will be made for them”, the Archbishop said.
“The Catholic Church does not wish to have a monopoly on education, and we encourage all those eligible to participate in the survey to do so. At the same time, a faith-based education can be highly valuable for young people today.”
Dr Marie Griffin, the Chairperson of the Catholic Education Partnership (CEP), also urged parents to fill out the survey, saying it is vital that those who value Catholic schools to participate. “If Catholic parents and guardians want Catholic schools for their children, then they need to respond to the survey to that effect. Parents must vote now to secure patronage choice for the future.”
Catholic primary schools currently educate 88.3% of pupils, but 109 have closed in the past decade while 59 multi-denominational schools have opened. With enrolments expected to fall almost nationwide due to a declining birth rates, more closures and amalgamations are expected.
