The education collaboration organisation Leargas says that CASE, the cross border ‘Collaboration and Sharing Education programme has helped children to acknowledge, accept and celebrate differences between them and their peers from different communities or backgrounds – whether this was religious or otherwise.
The six year programme has now come to an end, with an evaluation of the project suggesting it’s been very effective.
Since 2017, 58 Donegal schools have participated in the CASE programme, managed by Léargas, which was celebrated at a closing event at Queen’s University Belfast, this week.
Over 400 teachers, principals and school representatives from across Northern Ireland and border counties of Ireland attended the event to mark the culmination of the six-year Shared Education initiative which engaged just under 390 primary and secondary schools across 12 counties. Over €24 million of EU Peace IV funding supported 135,000 pupils in cross-border and cross-community partnerships, with the Executive Director of Léargas, Lorraine Gilligan saying the programme has had a huge impact for participating schools.
More details –
The CASE for a ‘Culture of Collaboration’ in Donegal schools
Since 2017, 58 Donegal schools have participated in the Collaboration and Sharing Education (CASE) programme, managed by Léargas, which was celebrated at a closing event at Queen’s University Belfast, today (27.02.23).
Over 400 teachers, principals and school representatives from across Northern Ireland and border counties of Ireland attended the event to mark the culmination of the six-year Shared Education initiative which engaged just under 390 primary and secondary schools across 12 counties.
Over €24 million of EU Peace IV funding has supported 135,000 pupils in cross-border and cross-community partnerships made possible through the Special EU Programmes Body, with match funding from both the Department of Education (DE) in Northern Ireland and the Department of Education (DE) in Ireland.
Over 100 primary and secondary schools in six counties in Ireland engaged in Shared Education partnerships with schools on both sides of the border. With a focus on developing a culture of collaboration between cross-community and cross-border school partnerships, the CASE programme exceeded all targets in relation to the number of pupils and teachers engaged in the six-year period, despite significant disruption of Covid-19 restrictions to school partnerships.
Commenting ahead of the closing event at Queen’s University, Executive Director of Léargas, Lorraine Gilligan said: “This programme has had a huge impact for participating schools. The evaluation findings from the CASE report demonstrated improved mutual understanding and tolerance among children, the forging of cross-community friendships between pupils and parents, and crucially, an ability for children to acknowledge, accept and celebrate differences between them and their peers from different communities or backgrounds – whether this was religious or otherwise.
“The teachers involved in CASE have reported widespread educations outcomes, and there are fantastic results for teachers’ own confidence and professional development with 94% reporting improved professional teaching skills and knowledge. One seasoned school principal reported that this project had been ‘the most exciting development in their 20+ year career.”
Secretary General for Department of Education, Bernie McNally said: “I am very pleased to see that the funding provided by the Department of Education for the PEACE IV CASE project has given over 140,000 children and young people from across different sectors and backgrounds in Northern Ireland and the border counties an incredible opportunity together to learn new skills. It has also been very important that they have been given the opportunity to learn more about each other, with a view to building stronger community links and a more cohesive society in the future.
I would like to extend a huge congratulations to the Education Authority, Léargas, SEUPB and to everyone across the schools communities in both jurisdictions which played such an important role in the successful delivery of the CASE programme.”
For more information on the Collaboration and Sharing Education programme, visit: https://www.leargas.ie/case.
