The Integrated Education Fund in Northern Ireland

Abstract

As campaign director of the Integrated Education Fund (IEF) in Northern Ireland, I have had the privilege of working to support integrated schools for over 12 years. My understanding of integrated education in Northern Ireland today must be placed in the context of Northern Ireland as a contested and divided society, with integrated education being essentially a community response to those divisions. Planned integrated schools, reflecting the main traditions, could help reconcile the community by educating together children of all faiths and none, and encouraging the development of respect and understanding of their differences as well as celebrating what they hold in common. For me, the integrated school would be one characterized not only by religious balance in pupil and staff numbers but also by the school’s practice—living out the integrated ethos of the school in terms of the curriculum and extracurricular activities.