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28 February 2008

Integrated Education Week, the annual event organised by the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) which gives all 62 integrated schools with over 19,000 pupils the opportunity to raise their profiles and reflect on their integrated status through fun, educational and charitable activities, is being held from Monday 3rd – Friday 7th March.

Deborah Girvan, NICIE Communications and Lobbying Manager said, “This year the theme is ‘Eyes’ and integrated schools have been busy planning events and activities which captures the wealth of cultural diversity and creativity of the children.  We never cease to be amazed at the ingenuity of their ideas and would like to thank the hard working teachers for embracing the spirit of Integrated Education through the eyes of their pupils”.

The packed week of activities includes a letter writing competition for pupils to ‘look to the future’ and write an inspirational letter to the First and Deputy First Minister about their vision for Northern Ireland. The winners of the competition will be presented with their prizes on Monday 3^rd March at 11.00am at NICIE Head Offices, 13-19 University Road, Belfast, by Belfast playwright Martin Lynch who was one of the judges.

Martin Lynch said, “I was very impressed with the standard and quality of the competition entries by the pupils of both Integrated Primaries and Colleges. The letters were judged on their content, strength of message and creativity and it was a very difficult decision to choose the best. I am greatly looking forward to meeting the children and having the opportunity to ask them more about the stories they’ve written and their hopes for the future.”

The following day, Tuesday 4^th March, the new ‘ABC: Promoting an Anti-Bias Approach to Education in Northern Ireland’ publication, a resource for teachers on how to deal with difficult issues such as sectarianism, racism and sexual orientation and to use in the classroom to teach children to respect difference such as religious and cultural diversity is being launched at the Long Gallery, Stormont, from 11.30am-1.00pm.  Hosted by Sammy Wilson MP and Dominic Bradley MLA, the event will be attended by around 100 educationalists within and outside the integrated sector.

On Wednesday 5^th March an Integrated Education Public Information Meeting will be held in the Canal Court Hotel, Newry, 7.30pm - 9.00pm and the week will conclude on Friday 7^th March with a seminar for teachers new to Integrated Education at the Mount Conference Centre, Belfast, 9.30am – 4.00pm.

“We have put a huge amount of effort into Integrated Education Week this year”, explained Ms Girvan.  “We feel that it is important in these changing times of educational reforms that Integrated Education presents a strong message to local communities that this unique way of educating children together is helping to contribute to the peace and reconciliation process in Northern Ireland.  Our vision for the future is that one day all schools will work in partnership and collaborate with each other to build a truly shared future for the next generations to come.”

For further information, please contact Kyra Smyth NICIE PR Officer on 028 9023 6200/078 6610 2334 email ksmyth@nicie.org.uk