More schools than ever participating in Shared Education

Schools across Northern Ireland will be taking part in a series of events to mark the first ever Shared Education week.

Today the number of schools involved in sharing continues to grow with over 60,000 pupils from 600 schools currently taking part in a range of different projects.

Shared Education week runs from 8 to 12 October and offers a series of events to celebrate shared education and share best practice.

Speaking ahead of the launch today, Derek Baker, Permanent Secretary for the Department of Education said: “The benefits of children from different backgrounds being educated together cannot be overstated. 

“That is why I am delighted with the recent figures that show an 86% rise over the last two years in the number of schools involved in shared education.

“I have had the pleasure of seeing some Shared Education work at first hand and have heard of the many successes as well as the challenges faced.  What is striking are the personal relationships built between teachers from different sectors, something which feedback indicates has not gone unnoticed by pupils.  

“It is the personal relationships that provide a role model for pupils and help to create an environment for sharing.”

The Department of Education has a statutory duty to encourage and facilitate the development of both integrated and Shared Education.  Both have key roles in contributing to a more tolerant and shared society here.

Concluding, Mr Baker said: “Over the next couple of days, my Department is hosting conferences in Cookstown and Belfast in celebration of the success of shared education and to provide practical insight into delivery of high-quality shared education through a series of workshops.

“It is great that so many partnerships are willing to share their experiences in an effort to help others.  It is this spirit of sharing and collaboration that has enabled Shared Education to advance and I commend all involved and look forward to the events this week.”

Notes to editors: 

1. The Department may take photographs and videos at announcements and events to publicise its work. Photographs, interviews, videos or other recordings may be issued to media organisations for publicity purposes or used in promotional material, including in publications, newspapers, magazines, other print media, on television, radio and electronic media (including social media and the internet). Photographs and videos will also be stored on the Department’s internal records management system. The Department will keep the photographs and recordings for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which they have been obtained. The Department’s Privacy Policy is available on our website.
2. For media enquiries about this press release, please contact the DE Press Office on 028 9127 9755 or email press.office@education-ni.gov.uk. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110. Follow us on Twitter @education.ni and our new Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Educationni 

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