75 percent believe integrated schools should be the norm

The Northern Ireland-wide survey, collated by the Belfast-based independent polling company LucidTalk on behalf of the Integrated Education Fund (IEF), polled more than 2,000 people from all areas of the community here, including residents in the Fermanagh and Omagh area.

The findings come as the Northern Ireland (NI) Executive prepares to launch an Independent Review of the NI education system as part of the New Decade, New Approach agreement reached in January, 2020.

This agreement described the NI education system in its current form as "unsustainable", and pledged to examine the prospects of moving to a single system of education.

The findings of the survey also reveal that a clear majority of the NI community, regardless of their political affiliation, are in favour of an integrated education system.

The attitudinal report found that 59 per cent of DUP voters, and 72 per cent of Sinn Fein voters, believe NI children should be educated together.

It also concluded that 76 per cent of people in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area agree that all schools, regardless of management type, should aim to have a religious and cultural mix of children, teachers and governors.

Speaking about the findings of the poll, Jill Caskey, Parental Engagement Campaign Manager, IEF, said: “The findings in this survey highlight the demand for integrated education in Northern Ireland, and they should prompt our Executive to actively promote a fully integrated education system for the benefit of our entire society.

2It should also help to inform the new Independent Review of the NI Education system in terms of public opinion on this crucial aspect of our society.

"We are going into an era in Northern Ireland that needs an education system fit for the 21st Century, which is fully inclusive.

"We need to see a dedicated governmental plan to accommodate the demands of our parents and children,” she added.