AQW 10839/11-15

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 24/04/2012
Answered On Date: 01/05/2012
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education (i) what percentage of children are currently enrolled in integrated education; and (ii) what plans he has to increase this number.

Answer:

(i) 6.79 % of pupils are enrolled in integrated schools.

(ii) The area planning process will consider the future need for a given area taking account of population projection. The level of demand for each sector will be determined and where there is clear evidence of a need to increase the provision in any sector then this will be built into the plan. As there is a finite number of pupils in an area, growth in any sector, including the integrated sector, will therefore have to be contained within the total planning figure for each Education and Library Board, so that the overall planning figure for all Boards is not exceeded. This means that growth in one sector may lead to a reduction in another sector.

Should proposals come forward within the area plans for increases in the number of places in integrated schools, I will consider these in the context of the area plan.