Pilot schemes should be set up to assess the transferral of Catholic
schools to non-denominational bodies, church representatives have said.
The
Catholic Schools Partnership (CSP) raised concerns over controversial
plans by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn to transfer 50% of its 3,000
primary schools to other patrons from January.
The group said in areas of the country where premises are no longer
viable as Catholic schools, lengthy talks must be held within local
communities to plan for greater diversity of school provision in that
area.
"This must be planned locally and based on respect for the rights of
parents and all other stakeholders, including local parish communities,"
it said.
"If sufficient demand for a school under different patronage can be
demonstrated then all of the stakeholders should work in partnership
towards this goal. It would be helpful if some pilot projects could be
undertaken where all the modalities associated with a change in
patronage could be tried and adjusted as necessary."
In its position paper on the future of Catholic schools, CSP stated
new voluntary secondary schools should have equal funding and that its
patronage is decided on demand.
However, the umbrella group that provides support for all of the
partners in Catholic schools in the Republic of Ireland maintained
Catholic education is more than just schooling and had nothing in common
with indoctrination, or brainwashing a pupil.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn said the paper was a positive
contribution to what is shaping up to be a very engaging discussion and
he looked forward to developing this important debate in the weeks and
months ahead.
"The Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector which I
have established, will be formally launched later this month," he said.
"I believe (this) statement by the Catholic Schools Partnership will
contribute to providing a platform for what I see is an essential and
informative debate within the education agenda."
Elsewhere, Paul Row, chief executive of Educate Together which runs
58 multi-denominational schools, said it plans to publish its own
documents when it is clear how the national forum will operate.