Sir, – Polls repeatedly show that a majority of parents in Northern Ireland would like their children to attend integrated schools but each year there are not enough places.
Under the Fresh Start Agreement, Westminster allocated an extra £500 million over 10 years to facilitate integrated and shared schools. The Department of Education has a statutory duty to encourage and facilitate the demand for integrated education, but there has been little evidence of this happening under either Sinn Féin or DUP education ministers . It is in the interest of both these parties to maximise their votes by prolonging the divisions in our society and increasing the fear of the “other side”.
All parents who wish their children to attend integrated schools should be able to do so. Then, children of all religions or none, and of different races, would grow up with understanding, tolerance and respect. They would not wish to remain part of our divided society, and we would have a genuine shared society. – Yours, etc,
MARGARET MARSHALL,
Belfast.