NSS Event To Explore Future Of Inclusive Education In N Ireland

National Secular Society ✒ A National Secular Society conference in Belfast will bring together reformers, politicians and academics to set out a secularist vision for education in Northern Ireland.

The NSS has organised the conference in light of recent measures aiming to tackle barriers to inclusive education in NI.

Over 90% of pupils in NI attend schools which are effectively segregated along religious lines. There are either no Catholic or no Protestant pupils in about 30% of schools.

This year an independent review of education in NI is taking place, with a focus on quality, equity and sustainability of the system. The NSS is engaging with the review as an opportunity to promote greater integration in NI schools. The NSS is also supporting two bills in the NI assembly that would make education in NI more inclusive.

One of the bills, the integrated education bill, was passed in the assembly yesterday. The bill places a statutory duty on the Department of Education to provide further support to the integrated schools sector. It was introduced by Kellie Armstrong MLA, who will be speaking at the conference.

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