Today's lesson: a school is not merely a building [Independent.ie]
- Published: 15 June 2011
I was reminded of the old African proverb "The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now" as I reflected on the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism, recently established by Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn.
I agree that a debate on patronage/trusteeship is important, and in my view is long overdue. The rationale seems to be that there are too many Catholic schools. In order to ensure diversity of values, beliefs, language and traditions why not divest a percentage of Catholic schools to other more inclusive, more pluralistic, more caring educational bodies?
If this is the assumption on which the forum is based then it needs to be challenged. Catholic schools already serve diverse student populations in inner city areas and throughout the country.
In 2008, the Edmund Rice Schools Trust (ERST) was established as a company and a registered charity. This lay trust was given responsibility for the 97 primary and post-primary schools in the Republic formerly under the trusteeship of the Christian Brothers.
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