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No barrier over Catholic and Protestant schools merger No barrier over Catholic and Protestant schools merger
(about 2 hours later)
Two County Tyrone primary schools are celebrating getting Stormont support for a new school to be used jointly by Catholic and Protestant pupils. Two County Tyrone primary schools have been told there are no legal barriers to them merging.
They say it will save money and save the controlled school from closure. The schools, one Catholic and one Protestant, would use the same front door but go to their own separate wings.
Moy Regional, which has mostly Protestant children has a lot fewer pupils than recommended. The mainly Catholic St John's has enough pupils. The mostly Protestant Moy regional, has a lot fewer pupils than recommended. It would merge with St John's.
The Education Minister, John O'Dowd said there were no legal barriers to the schools merging. The schools say it will save money and save the smaller school from closure.
The education minister, John O'Dowd, said there were no legal barriers to the schools merging.
Classes from both the Moy regional and St John's Catholic schools often walk the five minutes through the village of Moy to share classes and activities.Classes from both the Moy regional and St John's Catholic schools often walk the five minutes through the village of Moy to share classes and activities.
St John's Catholic school has plenty of pupils but it does not want the Regional school to close. St John's Catholic school has plenty of pupils but it does not want the regional school to close.
It is worried that if that happened, the Protestant community would desert the village and they believe that would not be in anyone's interest. It is worried that if that happened, the Protestant community would leave the village and they believe that would not be in anyone's interest.
InnovativeInnovative
The two schools have a plan to take their sharing a step further by building a single school to replace the existing schools.The two schools have a plan to take their sharing a step further by building a single school to replace the existing schools.
It would be on a neutral site, both sets of pupils would enter through the same front door and go to their own separate wings.
They would come together in the canteen, gym, music and IT rooms. But crucially, they would keep their own uniforms, teachers and boards of governors.They would come together in the canteen, gym, music and IT rooms. But crucially, they would keep their own uniforms, teachers and boards of governors.
The schools' research shows that two separate new schools would cost £26,000 per pupil while one joint school for the same number would cost £18,000 per pupil.The schools' research shows that two separate new schools would cost £26,000 per pupil while one joint school for the same number would cost £18,000 per pupil.
They met the education minister on Tuesday, who told them there were no legal barriers to the project and now they are very optimistic he will grant them funding. They met the education minister on Tuesday, and he told them there were no legal barriers to the project and now they are optimistic he will grant them funding.
John O'Dowd was enthusiastic about the idea which fits in with his encouragement for schools to share facilities before they get money for a new building.John O'Dowd was enthusiastic about the idea which fits in with his encouragement for schools to share facilities before they get money for a new building.
He is encouraging the education authorities to have further discussions to work out ownership and management of a joint school, which has never been done before in Northern Ireland .He is encouraging the education authorities to have further discussions to work out ownership and management of a joint school, which has never been done before in Northern Ireland .
In a statement the Mr O'Dowd said he had a useful meeting with representatives from the primary schools. In a statement, Mr O'Dowd said he had a useful meeting with representatives from the primary schools.
"The Department would be supportive in principle of any proposal to co-locate schools and share facilities," he said. "The department would be supportive in principle of any proposal to co-locate schools and share facilities," he said.
"It would be for the managing authorities and school trustees to agree the way forward on the issues of school management and building ownership."It would be for the managing authorities and school trustees to agree the way forward on the issues of school management and building ownership.
"The Department would be happy to facilitate these discussions. In seeking innovative solutions for the schools estate the Department would be willing to further explore the proposal within the context of area plans and the restricted capital budget." "The department would be happy to facilitate these discussions. In seeking innovative solutions for the schools estate the department would be willing to further explore the proposal within the context of area plans and the restricted capital budget."