Religion and education in Ireland: growing diversity – or losing faith in the system? (original) (raw)
Related papers
Religious Diversity in Primary Schools: Reflections from the Republic of Ireland
British Journal of Religious Education , 2016
Growing secularisation of the population and the arrival of new culturally and religiously diverse migrants are posing new challenges to schools in the Republic of Ireland (Ireland). These challenges are particularly acute in Irish primary schools, the majority of which are under Catholic patronage. Recent changes have necessitated an extensive consultation process about how to accommodate religious diversity and have resulted in some important policy changes. This article contributes to an ongoing debate about state-run denominational schools and the place of Religious Education in these. While set in the Irish context, the article is also relevant for educators and academics in other jurisdictions as it describes recent policy developments and steps taken in addressing cultural and religious diversity in schools.
Over ninety per cent of children in Northern Ireland attend schools that are separate according to their 'perceived religious identity'. Many observers have detected strong links between separate education and the conflicted society for which Northern Ireland has become well known, though the debate about the place of religion in schooling continues to evoke very strong views on all sides. In recent years the impact on education of traditional 'Catholic-Protestant' divisions has been intensified by the experience of a growth in wider religious and ethnic diversity. Research suggests that many schools are unsure of how to respond to division and diversity in culture and religion, presenting particular challenges to the teaching of intercultural education, Religious Education and related pastoral matters. This paper explores the impact of some of these issues and offers reflections on possible ways forward, with relevance to education in other regions.
British Educational Research Journal, 2018
This article problematises the place of religion within publicly managed Education and Training Board (ETB) schools in the Republic of Ireland. The study draws on interview data from 43 school personnel across 18 ETB second‐level schools, as well as eight interviews with ETB Education/Chief Executive Officers. Having established the legal and historical contexts, the place of religion is explored from the perspective of school life and prescribed curriculum. Across the 18 schools, the prescribed curriculum for Religious Education did not take the form of ‘faith formation’. Rather, focus was placed on exploring all world religions. However, this compares with the role of religion within the life of the school; 14 of the 18 participating schools had religious dimensions as part of school life. Half of these schools (n = 7) were Designated Community Colleges, while the remainder were Non‐Designated (n = 7). The religious dimension was always Catholic in nature. Bar a few exceptions, th...
Religious divisions in schools in Northern Ireland
1998
One of the main characteristics of the Northern Ireland education system lies in the existence of parallel religious school systems for Protestants and Catholics. Since the 1980s a third, religiously integrated, sector has begun to develop. This paper examines policy debates arising from these religious divisions between schools and, in particular, the role played by separate schools in an ethnically divided society. These debates have included discussions on the effect of separate schools on social divisions and communal violence; policy initiatives in education designed to promote tolerance and reconciliation; and debates over the extent to which equitable treatment should be provided in separate schools. The broader debate within which these issues exist lies in the merits or demerits of maintaining separate religious schools and, more particularly, in the dilemma between promoting social harmony or recognising minority rights.
Religion and Schools in Northern Ireland – building a consensus in the light of new challenges
This paper begins by assessing how consensus has been achieved in solving the problem of the role religion should play in schools in European states and regions. Particular consideration is given to the case of religious education in Northern Ireland and how, in the light of changing circumstances, consensus might be achieved in the future. It is suggested that a 'new consensus' must be rooted in reality, acknowledge wide diversity, empower schools to develop local solutions based on underlying principles and that any new syllabus must possess a clear pedagogical approach.
The Republic of Ireland has an education system that is state aided and relies on patronage. The ownership of primary schools in Ireland is quite complex. Generally speaking, they are privately owned and the state contributes to the running costs. While the school ethos is decided by the owners, the operating rules are largely set by the State. Historical developments have led to a situation where in the primary sector the state directly and fully controls only a very small number of schools and 93% of schools are under the patronage of The Roman Catholic Church in Ireland. Ireland remains a country where the predominant faith is Roman Catholicism but there have been, especially in the second half of the twentieth century and the first decades of this century, very definite changes in society that have led, firstly, to the population being more multi-cultural and, secondly, to Ireland being more secular that it once was. It is generally accepted that we now live in a secular society with a free secular media. Firstly, how true is that in reality given that many elements of the Irish legislature and of its constitution remain imbued with Christian doctrine? Secondly, if, as is generally understood, we have developed into a more secular society, where did it begin and to what extent has the media been responsible? Thirdly, and what will be the main focus of this thesis, why does Ireland still not have a true state funded and managed educational system but instead continues to function with a system that is almost entirely under the patronage of the majority ethos? Finally, what is likely to be the result of current debates involving the state, the religious institutions and the media on patronage in primary education?
Religion, Equity and Education in Northern Ireland
British Educational Research Journal, 1994
For some years concern has been expressed about the lower qualifications of leavers from Catholic schools in Northern Ireland in comparison with leavers from Protestant schools. The paper outlines research carried out for the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights on possible contributory factors to this attainment gap. The research highlighted the effects of different funding arrangements for Catholic schools and a shortage of grammar school places in the Catholic sector, and recommended proactive measures by government to deal with these issues. The recommendations were based on equity principles and were argued as being consistent with declared government policy on fair employment in Northern Ireland on religious grounds. Following the research findings the Government announced extra funds to increase grammar school provision in Catholic schools and changed the arrangements for capital grants to permit Catholic schools to receive 100% grant. The paper suggests that the application of equity principles in this case may be relevant to the issue of denominational schools in Britain.
Espacio, Tiempo y Educación
From the time of Irish independence in 1922 until the mid-1960s, a cohort of small, lay-run Catholic secondary schools operated in Ireland. They functioned to fill a gap that had existed in the network of Catholic clergy- and religious order-run secondary schools and catered for the minority of the population attending the majority of the secondary schools in the country. The (Catholic) Church authorities, who monopolised secondary school education and resented the intrusion of other parties into what they considered to be their sacred domain in this regard, only tolerated the establishment of lay-run schools in districts where it was not anxious to provide schools itself. This indicated the preference of the Church for educating the better-off in Irish society as the districts in question were mostly very deprived economically. The paper details the origins, growth and development of the lay-owned Catholic secondary schools. The attitude of the Church to their existence is then con...