Two new integrated schools opened in Northern Ireland yesterday despite the refusal of the North's education minister Maria Eagle to provide funding for the schools.
Rowallane Integrated Secondary College, which is temporarily based at the old Belvoir Hospital in south Belfast and Clogher Valley Integrated Primary School in Fivemiletown, Co Tyrone, began admitting students yesterday.
The integrated school sector was forced to find £750,000 to ensure the schools could open after the North's department of education refused them official funding. The charity, the Integrated Education Fund provided £500,000 for Rowallane and £250,000 for Clogher Valley.
Defending the decision, Ms Eagle said there was already surplus capacity in the two areas where the schools are located.
She added that in the case of Rowallane a number of schools in the area had objected to its receiving funding.
The integrated schools sector has constantly challenged refusals to provide funding, arguing that while in denominational schools there may be empty desks, the integrated sector cannot cope with the demand for such schools, and that it should be a matter of "parental choice".
Ms Eagle said her department must take several factors into account such as surplus capacity when deciding on funding, but that in principle she supported integrated education.
It was "conceivable" that the two schools could yet be financially supported, she added.
