By A. M. Gallagher
Preface
The Majority-Minority Review is a series published by the Centre for the
Study of Conflict, University of Ulster. The series will review published
research on the comparative material conditions of the two communities in
Northern Ireland. This first issue of the Review focuses on education.
Future issues will examine research evidence on employment and
unemployment, the administration of justice, and housing. The aim of the
series is to provide an impartial commentary which will inform readers of
up-to-date research findings and enable them to monitor developments over
a period of time. The Centre for the Study of Conflict has a long-term
commitment to publish the review.
The educational system in Northern Ireland can be divided into primary,
secondary and tertiary levels. In addition there is a limited pre-school
nursery provision. Locally, the primary and secondary levels are serviced
by five Education and Library Boards. Centrally, the overall system is
administered by the Department of Education for Northern Ireland (DENI).
In addition, a Council for Catholic Maintained Schools has been
established and is to be given a legislative basis.
In practice there are two parallel Systems for Protestants (and other
non-Catholics) and Catholics at the primary and secondary levels, and in
teacher-training colleges. It is important to note that the Catholic
school system is not viewed, by Catholics, as inferior. Rather, the right
to separate schools is vigorously defended by the Catholic Church.
Given this de facto situation, and for the sake of clarity, the
nomenclature used throughout this review is of 'Protestant' and
'Catholic' schools, even where the official designations do not make this
distinction. In appropriate sections of the Review the definition of a
Protestant and a Catholic school is made clear and evidence to justify
this categorisation is presented.
Each Review will be advised and instructed by a team of consultants. The
Centre wishes to record its thanks to the following consultants who
commented on an earlier draft of the Education Review:
John Wilson, Northern Ireland Council for Educational Research
Robert Osborne, Policy Research Institute and Social Administration
Department, University of Ulster.
Robert Cormack, Policy Research Institute and Social Studies Department,
Queens University Belfast.
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