Denominational education in the Republic of Ireland

Last updated

Education in the Republic of Ireland is mostly denominational at primary and secondary level. That is to say, most schools are associated with a particular religion or Christian denomination. Denominational schools include most national schools at primary level, which types are publicly funded by the Department of Education. The school's patron or the chair of the board of management will often be a cleric or religious. The denomination influences the ethos, although in subjects other than religion a standard curriculum is prescribed by the Department of Education for all publicly funded schools. Denominational schools can give priority of admission to pupils of the given denomination with the exception of catholic schools but not refuse to admit pupils based on religion.

Contents

The continued prominence of denominational education is controversial among advocates of separation of church and state. Since the 1970s Educate Together and other groups have founded multi-denominational schools. In addition, the prevalence of Catholic schools is questioned in light of Ireland's changing demographic profile brought about by secularisation and immigration since the Celtic Tiger. The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, has expressed a desire to divest the archdiocese of some of its schools to provide more choice for non-Catholic parents.

Church schools

In Ireland, the vast majority of the country's primary schools are owned or managed (or both) by religious organisations. [1] As of 2021 of the national total of 3,126 standard schools, 2760 (88%) had Catholic patrons, 172 (5.7%) were controlled by the Anglican-associated Church of Ireland, 1% were controlled by other religious organisations while 168 (5.4%) were controlled by organisations which were not affiliated with any particular religion. [2] This system of religious control was instituted according to the Stanley Letter of 1831. Amongst the country's secondary schools, voluntary secondary schools, comprehensive schools and community schools, the majority are controlled by non- Catholic organisations. [3] [4]

Around 2010 Fintan O'Toole criticised this aspect of the educational system, as has Seán Flynn, education correspondent of The Irish Times . [5] [6] [7] In 2007 former Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald also criticised the denominational system. [8] The Humanist Association of Ireland, Atheist Ireland and other groups have likewise objected to the denominational system, believing that it introduces artificial divisions within Irish society. The Irish Primary Principals Network conducted a survey that found that 72% of parents wanted primary schools to be managed by the state with all religions given equal opportunity. [9]

As of 2013, the Church of Ireland ranked "second in the State in terms of the provision of primary schools with 174 schools under its Patronage." There were "over 500 teachers and over 13,500 pupils in Church of Ireland Primary schools." There were at the time "twenty post-primary schools in the State which are either affiliated with the Church of Ireland at diocesan level or" are self-identified as Church of Ireland. [10]

In June 2009 and referring obliquely to the events of Diswellstown the previous year (in which the children of parents who were not Catholic, mostly immigrants to the country, were refused entry to the local primary school, producing a group of largely non-white children who had no school to attend) [11] [12] the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, said that the current denominational system is "not tenable" and that "the current almost monopoly is a historical hangover that doesn't reflect the realities of the times" [13] and has called for the Catholic Church to cede control of many schools. [14] The Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference, however, supports denominational education, as does The Iona Institute, a small organisation based in Dublin which campaigns upon a range of issues of interest to conservative Christians. [15] [16] [17]

Teacher Enoch Burke, of the Burke family (Castlebar), has been contesting since 2022 the Wilson's Hospital School (WHS) mandate to use they/them pronouns to address one particular student. Burke has been suspended, ordered by the High Court to leave the premises and on 2 August 2024 arrested when he attended the premises in violation of the court order at the start of the new school year. WHS is affiliated with the Church of Ireland. He feels compelled to use traditional pronouns and feels dismayed that the CoI-affiliated school is not supporting him. [18]

Jewish education

There is a small National School partnered with a Secondary School Stratford College in Rathgar, which has a Jewish ethos in Dublin (although the schools now accept children from other denominations due to a dwindling Jewish population). The National/elementary school was set up in 1934 by Rabbi Herzog, [19] as the Zion National School in Bloomfield Avenue. [20] The Secondary School was set up by the Chief Rabbi Jakobovitz and the Jewish community in the 1950s, [21] initially with classes in the Dublin Talmud Torah School, but in 1953 they ceased with the opening of Stratford College. [19] In 1980 the National School moved to the Stratford College location in Rathgar. [20] However throughout the years members of the Jewish community attended schools with a Christian ethos [19] such as the Methodist run Wesley College, Dublin, where the future president of Israel Chaim Herzog attended.

Islamic education

While Muslims do attend Christian ethos schools or multi-denominational schools, in recent years there has been a growth in the number of Muslim National Schools being established, these are funded by the Department of Education. [22] Traditionally Muslim students have attended Christian schools and received Islamic training, separately. There are plans to establish an Islamic secondary school in Dublin. [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

In secular usage, religious education is the teaching of a particular religion and its varied aspects: its beliefs, doctrines, rituals, customs, rites, and personal roles. In Western and secular culture, religious education implies a type of education which is largely separate from academia, and which (generally) regards religious belief as a fundamental tenet and operating modality, as well as a prerequisite for attendance.

The education system in Northern Ireland differs from elsewhere in the United Kingdom, but is similar to the Republic of Ireland in sharing in the development of the national school system and serving a similar society with a relatively rural population. A child's age on 1 July determines the point of entry into the relevant stage of education in the region, whereas the relevant date in England and Wales is 1 September.

Education in the Republic of Ireland is a primary, secondary and higher education. In recent years, further education has grown immensely, with 51% of working age adults having completed higher education by 2020. Growth in the economy since the 1960s has driven much of the change in the education system. For universities there are student service fees, which students are required to pay on registration, to cover examinations, insurance and registration costs.

A parochial school is a private primary or secondary school affiliated with a religious organization, and whose curriculum includes general religious education in addition to secular subjects, such as science, mathematics and language arts. The word parochial comes from the same root as "parish", and parochial schools were originally the educational wing of the local parish church. Christian parochial schools are called "church schools" or "Christian schools."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National school (Ireland)</span> Primary level schools in Ireland

In the Republic of Ireland, a national school is a type of primary school that is financed directly by the state, but typically administered jointly by the state, a patron body, and local representatives. In national schools, most major policies, such as the curriculum and teacher salaries and conditions, are managed by the state through the Department of Education. Minor policies of the school are managed by local people, sometimes directed by a member of the clergy, as representative of the patron, through a local 'board of management'. Most primary schools in the Republic of Ireland fall into this category, which is a pre-independence concept.

The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution Act 1972 is an amendment to the Constitution of Ireland which deleted two subsections that recognised the special position of the Catholic Church and that recognised other named religious denominations. It was approved by referendum on 7 December 1972 and signed into law on 5 January 1973.

Religion in the United Kingdom is mainly expressed in Christianity, which dominated the land since the 7th century. Results of the 2021 Census for England and Wales showed that Christianity is the largest religion, followed by the non-religious, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Buddhism, and Taoism. Among Christians, Anglicanism is the most common denomination, followed by Catholicism, Presbyterianism, Methodism, Unitarianism, and Baptism. Results for the 2022 census in Scotland showed that 38.8% of the Scottish population identified as Christian, with 20.4% stating that the Church of Scotland is their main religion, whilst 13.3% stated their main religion was the catholic church in Scotland.

Religious education is the term given to education concerned with religion. It may refer to education provided by a church or religious organization, for instruction in doctrine and faith, or for education in various aspects of religion, but without explicitly religious or moral aims, e.g. in a school or college. The term is often known as religious studies.

A faith school is a school in the United Kingdom that teaches a general curriculum but which has a particular religious character or formal links with a religious or faith-based organisation. The term is most commonly applied to state-funded faith schools, although many independent schools also have religious characteristics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Segregation in Northern Ireland</span> Sociopolitical division between Irish republicans and unionists

Segregation in Northern Ireland is a long-running issue in the political and social history of Northern Ireland. The segregation involves Northern Ireland's two main voting blocs—Irish nationalist/republicans and unionist/loyalist. It is often seen as both a cause and effect of the "Troubles".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religion in the Republic of Ireland</span>

The predominant religion in the Republic of Ireland is Christianity, with the largest denomination being the Roman Catholic Church. The Constitution of Ireland says that the state may not endorse any particular religion and guarantees freedom of religion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manor House School, Raheny</span> Second level school for girls in Raheny, Dublin, Ireland

Manor House School is a large Roman Catholic second-level all-girls school in Raheny, Dublin, Ireland, attached to a convent, and with sporting facilities. The school had an enrolment of 773 in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doon, County Limerick</span> Village in County Limerick, Ireland

Doon is a village in east County Limerick, Ireland, close to the border of County Tipperary. It is also a civil parish in the historic barony of Coonagh. and is an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atheist Ireland</span> Atheist association

Atheist Ireland is an association of atheists based in Ireland. The group was initially founded by members of Atheist.ie, an online community set up by Seamus Murnane in June 2006. Its current chairperson is writer and activist Michael Nugent. Atheist Ireland is a former member of Atheist Alliance International, and a former member of Humanists International, and current member of The Coalition to Repeal the 8th, Children's Rights Alliance, the International Coalition Against Blasphemy Laws and the National Women's Council of Ireland. The group estimates it has about 500 members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Educate Together</span> Educational charity in Ireland

Educate Together is an educational charity in Ireland which is the patron body to "equality-based, co-educational, child centred, and democratically run" schools. It was founded in 1984 to act as the patron body for the new multidenominational schools that opened after the establishment of the Dalkey School Project. As of 2024, Educate Together is the patron of 96 national schools in Ireland. In 2014 three Educate Together Second Level Schools opened in Dublin 15, Drogheda and Lucan along with the first Educate Together school outside Ireland, in Bristol in the United Kingdom. In joint patronage with Kildare and Wicklow ETB, Educate Together opened another second-level school, Celbridge Community School, in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Fintan's High School</span> Secondary school for boys, Dublin, Ireland

St. Fintans High School is an all-boys Roman Catholic voluntary-aided secondary school located between Sutton and Baldoyle, Dublin, Ireland.

Catholic education in Australia refers to the education services provided by the Catholic Church in Australia within the Australian education system. From 18th century foundations, the Catholic education system has grown to be the second biggest provider of school-based education in Australia, after government schools. The Catholic Church has established primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions in Australia. As of 2018, one in five Australian students attend Catholic schools. There are 1,755 Catholic schools in Australia with more than 777,000 students enrolled, employing almost 100,000 staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James O'Higgins Norman</span> Former priest, now academic working on education and bullying

James O'Higgins Norman PC, MStJ, FRSA holds the UNESCO Chair on Tackling Bullying in Schools and Cyberspace at Dublin City University. He is the director of the National Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre, and a member of the Government of Ireland Advisory Council on Online Safety.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protestantism in the Republic of Ireland</span> Overview of the role of Protestantism in the Republic of Ireland

Protestantism in the Republic of Ireland refers to Protestantism in the Republic of Ireland and its predecessor, the Irish Free State. Protestants who are born in the Republic of Ireland are Irish Citizens. Protestants who are born in Northern Ireland are British and / or Irish depending on their political identity and whether they choose to exercise their right to claim Irish citizenship on the same basis as anywhere else on the island of Ireland. In 2006, Protestants made up 4.2% of the Republic of Ireland's population versus 10% in 1911. Their population experienced a long period of decline over the 19th and 20th centuries, but slight growth in the 21st century.

Florence "Florrie" Armstrong was an Irish teacher and pioneer of multi-denominational education in Ireland.

References

  1. ↑ Ownership of primary schools Archived 9 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine , citizensinformation.ie
  2. ↑ Statistics for religious control, retrieved 15 June 2010
  3. ↑ Types of post-primary school, citizensinformation.ie
  4. ↑ "Preliminary enrolments in Primary and Post-primary schools announced – Minister McHugh". 23 December 2019.
  5. ↑ Lessons in the power of the church, Fintan O'Toole, The Irish Times, 6 June 2009, retrieved 9 June 2010
  6. ↑ Why must agnostics be obliged to teach faith? Archived 23 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine , Fintan O'Toole, The Irish Times, 2 February 2010, retrieved 9 June 2010
  7. ↑ Subtle form of apartheid permeates school system, Seán Flynn, The Irish Times, 2008-05-04, retrieved 10 June 2010
  8. ↑ New Catholic school policy could produce unintended 'apartheid', Garret FitzGerald, The Irish Times, 2007-09-08, retrieved 15 June 2010
  9. ↑ Religion in Schools – What 750 Principals Say, Irish Primary Principals Network, 28 June 2008
  10. ↑ https://www.ireland.anglican.org/cmsfiles/pdf/Information/Submissions/brd_ed/AdmSchBill2013.pdf.{{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ↑ https://www.kildarestreet.com/debates/?id=2008-02-14.368.0.{{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. ↑ https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/libraryResearch/2008/2008-04-11_spotlight-understanding-the-challenges-of-immigration-for-education-provision_en.pdf.{{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ↑ Catholic control of schooling not tenable, says archbishop, Irish Times, 2009-06-17, retrieved 15 June 2010
  14. ↑ John Walshe (4 August 2010). "Church won't hand over schools without extensive consultation". Irish Independent.
  15. ↑ "David Quinn's opening address in support of denominational education" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  16. ↑ "John Murray's defence of denominational education" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  17. ↑ "Father Vincent Twomey's closing remarks in support of denominational education" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  18. ↑ https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2024/0902/1467958-enoch-burke/.{{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  19. 1 2 3 Jewish education in Dublin: organizational development and conflicts by David Taub (Bar-Ilan University, Israel), Irish Educational Studies, Vol. 24, No. 2�/3, September 2005, pp. 145�/157
  20. 1 2 "Stratford National School – History". Archived from the original on 12 December 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  21. ↑ Stratford College History
  22. ↑ Challenging Myths Irish Council of Imams, (15 September 2006) Press Release
  23. ↑ Islam and Muslims in Ireland
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.