23.10.2015
Developments and Challenges Highlighted in Report of Diocesan Board of Education
Developments in education and schools over the last year were highlighted at Dublin and Glendalough’s Diocesan Synod by David Wynne who proposed the report of the Board of Education.
In his speech, he acknowledged the Minister for Education whose department, he said, had given the Protestant community in the dioceses substantial support in the last few years. In the primary sector, Mr Wynne noted extensions to the schools in Rathdrum and Drumcondra and a new school in Lucan with work promised for Whitechurch. The secondary sector had seen work taking place in Newpark and Temple Carrig with discussions being held on East Glendalough.
Nationally, he said there had been ongoing support of the Secondary Education Committee with an increase in Grant Aid last autumn. He reminded clergy to make families aware that the committee welcomes applications for grant assistance.
On the question of schools’ admissions policies Mr Wynne said that Church of Ireland schools were seen as quality places of education which placed excess demand on the community. “The Department’s concept of catchment areas for local communities is too narrow to suit the often thinly scattered Protestant community, with the result that the perception of what is available is not always correct, and this leads to tension between the Church of Ireland and other Protestant churches,” he stated.
Looking ahead, he highlighted the forthcoming requirement for education bodies to register with the Charities Regulatory Authority and requirements under the Regulation of Lobbying Act.
He reminded members of Synod that the current term of office for Boards of Management would come to an end on November 30 and new boards had to be elected to take up office on December 1.
Contributing to the discussion on the report, the Revd Dr Norman Gamble (Malahide) paid tribute to the work of Dr Ken Fennelly, secretary to the Board of Education (RI). He announced the forthcoming training day for boards of management on November 21 in the Heritage Hotel in Portlaoise.
The Revd William Bennett (Newcastle, Newtownmountkennedy and Calary) expressed frustration on primary schools’ admission policies. He said he was not sure that insisting on a Baptismal cert for children was a very Christian way of operating. “Many Baptisms have parents attending church for one or two Sundays. The next time you see them is when you need a cert for school and next time when they are being confirmed. There must be a better way of doing it,” he stated.