Danny Kinahan, the Ulster Unionist Party’s education spokesman has said he fears the Shared Education Campuses Programme could turn out to be a token gesture which will not lead to a single education system in Northern Ireland.

Mr Kinahan said:

“I note the 15 expressions of interest in developing shared education projects, and whilst I am sure they could turn out to be very worthwhile individual schemes, my concern is that the programme is much less ambitious than what was originally suggested when it was launched.  I do not see any overall strategic vision at all.

“15 expressions out of 1200 schools in Northern Ireland is a drop in the ocean, and at this stage we do not have any details about the plans, or any confirmation that the Department of Education or OFMDFM even have a budget to deliver them.

“I have a nagging doubt that this is all tokenism- a response to last year’s statements from the Prime Minister and the President of the United States at the time of the G8, and the long delayed roll out of the ‘ Together: Building a United Community’ initiative (TBUC).

“The attitude adopted by both Sinn Fein and the DUP in a recent debate I led at Stormont on shared education does not give me any confidence that either of those parties really ‘get’ shared education- other than in a limited, piecemeal way.

I repeat my concern at the way the area planning process has been handled- with effectively the maintained sector being allowed to rationalise their schools estate independently of the state controlled and integrated sectors.  The Education Boards and the Department were powerless to prevent this, and still no one is prepared to challenge the vested interests and the status quo.”