David McKee:DAVID McKEE, who has died aged 61, was an inspirational teacher, who imbued his pupils with a love of history and geography.
He was head of the Duke of Westminster High School, which operated on sites in Kesh and Ballinamallard in Co Fermanagh. The Duke, as the school was known, was a controlled (in reality, a Protestant) school. He worked on a cross-community basis, back when tensions in Northern Ireland were higher than today.
As head, he built strong links with the maintained (Catholic) St John’s in nearby Dromore, Co Tyrone, and the two schools held joint staff meetings. Together, they developed an “occupational studies” course for disaffected young pupils, for which they were able to obtain funding. The course worked so well it garnered international attention.
Through the occupational studies course, he developed links with schools in the Netherlands, which involved pupils and staff.
He played an important role in educational development in the North. For the past eight years he sat on the board of the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations, and Assessment, and since 2007 was its chair.
He brought huge experience to the post but was willing to take on board the suggestions of others. During his tenure, education in the North was going through change. He liaised with the Department of Education to ensure both organisations were going in the same direction.
His sense of humour was invaluable in defusing tense meetings and enabling progress to be made.
He was also committed to the community of west Tyrone and north Fermanagh. He was very active in the campaign to defend and expand Omagh hospital.
His death occurred just weeks before Minister for Health Michael McGimpsey announced funding for a new hospital for the town.
David McKee was born in Belfast to William McKee, who owned a hardware shop on the city’s Newtownards Road, and his wife Winifred (née Sampson) – both from east Belfast. Tragedy struck at three, when his father died. A few years later his mother remarried and they moved to Newtownards.
His education was at Belmont Primary School, Regent House Grammar School in Newtownards, and Stranmillis College, where he was president of the debating society. As such, he took part in The Irish Times debating competitions, speaking at venues all over the country.
He taught first at Park Parade Secondary School in east Belfast and at Omagh High School before becoming principal at the Duke.
He is survived by his wife Lynda, his children Connor, Rory, Michael and Maura, and his half-brother John (McGimpsey).
David McKee: born April 15th, 1949; died January 13th, 2011