President Mary McAleese has praised the founders of the Educate Together movement for their “noble role in the reshaping our future”.
Speaking in Dublin at celebrations to mark 30 years of the school movement, Mrs McAleese said it had “stepped up to the plate nationally and shifted what was a pioneering movement right into the mainstream.”
Educate Together runs multi-denominational, coeducations schools which cater for children of all religion and none. It started with the Dalkey School Project National School which was set up by a group of parents. There are now 56 Educate Together schools across Ireland, with 12 opening this month alone.
“The group of parents that came together 30 years ago with a desire for a primary school with a multi-denominational ethos had many obstacles to overcome on their way to bringing this school and this movement to life,” Mrs McAleese added.
“They then had to sustain and develop it and establish its credentials.” She said the Dalkey school “presaged the new multi-cultural Ireland that was on the way.”
“The founders have played a noble role in the reshaping our future and it is wonderful to be here to commend them today.”
