Peace II Measure 2.1

Priority 2 (Social Integration, Inclusion and Reconciliation)

Measure 1 (Reconciliation for Sustainable Peace)

Integrated education is defined by the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education as “education together in schools of pupils drawn in approximately equal numbers from the two major traditions with the aim of providing for them an effective education that gives equal recognition to both traditions and promotes equal expression. Its core aim is to provide the child with a caring self-fulfilling educational experience that will enable him/her to become a fulfilled and caring adult”.

The capital development of grant maintained integrated schools, was co-opted into the PEACE II Programme under Measure 2.1. Integrated schools promote reconciliation and mutual understanding which was consistent with the objectives and actions laid down for Measure 2.1.

This Integrated Schools element of the measure is now closed.

Activities supported by Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) under this measure are detailed on the SEUPB successful projects website.

This project contributed to the future expansion and development of integrated education throughout Northern Ireland by providing Grant-maintained Integrated (GMI) Schools for the education together of Protestant and Roman Catholic pupils. The project provided three new GMI schools and two existing GMI schools with improved and expanded accommodation.

The projects supported were:

Loughview Integrated Primary School, Belfast,
Oakgrove Integrated College, Londonderry,
Oakwood Integrated Primary School, Dunmurry,
Spires Integrated Primary School, Magherafelt,
Strangford Integrated College, Carrowdore.

In total around 1900 pupils benefited from this development programme. In addition it provided employment for 124 teaching staff and 94 non-teaching staff.

Expenditure totalled £13.006m of which the EU contribution was £9.755m with £3.251m Departmental match funding.