Integrated Education Bill passed at Stormont despite opposition from Minister

An integrated education Bill which will place a statutory duty on the Department of Education to provide further support to the integrated sector, has been passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The private members bill, brought forward by Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong, will include the setting of minimum targets for the numbers of pupils educated in such schools.

Addressing the debate on Wednesday, Ms Armstrong insisted the purpose of her Bill was to give parents wishing to send their children to an integrated school the same choices as other parents.

"The main aim of the integrated education Bill is to allow parents to have a preference of the type of school they want to send their child or children to," she said.

"Across Northern Ireland some areas don't have an integrated school, so parents and children have no choice and, in many areas, lots of integrated schools are oversubscribed, again meaning parents who want to send their child to an integrated school are denied the opportunity and their children then go on to a maintained or controlled school.

"This does not happen to parents who choose a maintained or controlled school. If they choose that type of school, their child will go to that type of school. There will always be an option for controlled and maintained schools."

The bill passed despite a warning from Education Minister Michelle McIlveen that it would have "far-reaching" consequences for the education system.

Some schools in the controlled and maintained sectors are opposed to the Bill, claiming it would enshrine preferential treatment for the integrated sector.

Ms McIlveen told the Assembly: "If this Bill passes through into law then the members of this House will remove the ability of any Minister of Education to deploy impartial, objective stewardship of the education budget.

"This legislation is being rushed through with no regard for the far-reaching consequences it will have for the entire education system, with no regard to the reality of how it will operate to the detriment of integrated schools as well as the impact on every other type of school."

The minister added: "You will be putting children first if you vote against this Bill."

The Bill passed by 49 votes to 38.

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