School scheme is 'punishing poverty', says principal

Pilib Mistéil claimed it was a "deliberate act" to omit his school from the funding

Stormont's Department of Education (DE) is "punishing poverty and rewarding wealth" in a new scheme to tackle underachievement, a school principal has said.

Pilib Mistéil, of Bunscoil an tSléibhe Dhuibh in Ballymurphy in west Belfast said his school and some others in the area had not been named as eligible for money from the RAISE programme.

It is a new £20m scheme to help address educational underachievement and tackle educational disadvantage.

Numerous studies have suggested that children from poorer backgrounds do less well in school.

The DE said the list was identified taking seven indicators into account, and it would continue to be refined.

Partially funded by the Irish government's Shared Island Fund, RAISE promises a "whole community" approach to reduce educational disadvantage.

It was launched on Wednesday by Education Minister Paul Givan and his Irish government counterpart Norma Foley.

'In competition with fee-paying schools'

Paul Givan and Norma Foley (middle) launched the programme on Wednesday

More than 400 schools in 15 areas across Northern Ireland were identified as being eligible for funding from the scheme.

The list published by the DE included almost 40 grammar schools and a prep school, where parents typically pay fees for their children to attend.

West Belfast contains some of the most deprived council wards in Northern Ireland.

About 60% of Bunscoil an tSléibhe Dhuibh's pupils are entitled to free school meals, but Mr Mistéil said a lot of other parents of pupils were "very close" to being eligible for free school meals.

"We can't understand how a school like this - a fabulous school, an outstanding school - that needs funding with 60% plus free school meals is in competition with prep schools, fee-paying schools, grammar schools and schools with as little as 5% free school meals," he told BBC News NI.

"It's a fantastic place to live in and to work in and we're very privileged to work here.

"But it has its challenges, and it's mostly to do with the socio-economic challenge people would have."

A spokesperson for the DE said a range of data and seven indicators were chosen to identify the localities in which the programme would operate.

"The indicators cover GCSE attainment, pupil absence, the prevalence of special educational needs and free school meals entitlement," they said.

"They also include crime and anti-social behaviour incidents and two Northern Ireland multiple deprivation measure indicators on income deprivation affecting children and health deprivation & disability," they continued.

The department also said the list "will be refined" as they continue to engage with the education sector and other stakeholders.

'They've changed the parameters'

Almost two thirds of Bunscoil an tSléibhe Dhuibh's pupils get free school meals

Mr Mistéil said the aim of the RAISE project was to "target underachievement in education, which is a topical subject at the minute".

"The difference with this one is that they've changed the parameters," he said.

"We are one of three schools in this area that won't get the RAISE because we're not entitled to it."

Mr Mistéil said he felt the school's omission was "not a mistake."

"This is quite a deliberate act on behalf of the Department of Education and the minister to re-allocate funds to areas that may need it, but they're punishing poverty and rewarding wealth," he said.

Mr Mistéil also said he felt the school was being discriminated against, and appealed to Givan and the department to change approach.

"Our understanding is very simple," he said.

"It's cutting funding from those who need it."

"We can't make sense of it."

BBC News NI has contacted the DE for comment.

In the list of published schools, the department said the list “may be subject to change” and that “the fact that a school is omitted does not mean it cannot be involved in the programme".

Education is primarily conducted in the Irish language at Bunscoil an tSléibhe Dhuibh

A previous report on the links between deprivation and education achievement in Northern Ireland pointed to academic selection favouring the better off.

There has been particular concern that Protestant males from low-income backgrounds underachieve at school.

An expert panel set up by the department said there needed to be widespread measures to tackle educational underachievement.

In a statement, Mr Givan said the RAISE programme offered "an important opportunity to look afresh at the issues caused by deprivation and to drive forward a whole community, place-based approach to remove the barriers to learning and educational achievement that many of our children and young people are facing.”