Four Donegal schools are set to take part in a new two-year action research project aimed at supporting small rural schools.
The project was announced today by Minister for Education Norma Foley TD to encourage small schools to cluster together and trial solutions to common challenges.
The Donegal schools involved are Dunfanaghy NS, Ballymore NS in Portnablagh, Creeslough NS and Gartan NS.
Six project clusters of small schools will be formed, two in Galway, and one in each of Donegal, Kerry, Wicklow and Waterford, consisting of between three and five schools per cluster. The clusters will be supported by part-time local coordinators sponsored by the education partners, working with a national coordinator under the guidance of a steering group. As an integral part of the project an evaluation will take place and a final report, including analysis of scalability of actions undertaken, will be compiled.
Minister Foley said: “All across the country, tremendous energy and local support is provided to our small schools. They are valued hugely in our communities, and play an important role in community life. This research project will harness some of that energy and will support schools to collaborate in clusters and identify possible solutions to some of the challenges they face.
“Small schools’ leaders and school communities have themselves identified that there is huge potential for collaboration in finding workable solutions. Small schools themselves are best placed to know what might and might not work for them. It is not expected that all of the activities tried out will be immediately successful; the aim is to provide an opportunity over a two year period to experiment safely.
“The Programme for Government commits to continuing to recognise the importance of small schools to communities across Ireland and this innovation provides tangible support to that commitment.
“I have no doubt that the schools participating across the six clusters in this project will provide valuable insights and ideas into supports that can be developed and replicated across small schools.”
Funding will be in place for the project’s two-year lifetime and schools will not be asked to make a financial contribution to take part.
Participating schools have been communicated with and the project will commence in the new school year.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Donegal T.D., Charlie McConalogue, today welcomed the launch by his Cabinet colleague Minister Norma Foley TD.
Minister McConalogue commented: “I am delighted to confirm that a cluster of small schools in Donegal will be taking part in this new research project.
“The Programme for Government commits to continuing to recognise the importance of small schools to communities across Ireland and this innovation provides tangible support to that commitment.
“This project is important in helping to revitalise rural Ireland and I am sure that the learnings from these great school communities will be invaluable.”