The parents of 826,000 children are set to be invited by the Department of Education to share their views on what kind of primary school they would like their child to attend.
In what is being described as the largest national survey of its kind, parents or guardians of all children from birth to 12 years old will be asked to indicate their preference for school ethos — whether religious or multi-denominational, reports RTE.
The survey will also seek views on whether parents favour single-sex or co-educational schooling, as well as their preference for English or Irish as the language of instruction.
A total of 493,000 households will be invited to take part in the online survey, which goes live at 12pm today and will remain open until 16 December, reports RTE.
Teachers and school board members will also be asked to complete a separate questionnaire.
To verify participation, parents and guardians will be required to provide details such as Eircodes, while teachers will receive a unique PIN to access their survey.
According to the Department of Education, this is the first national consultation of its scale and aims to provide “a comprehensive, nationwide picture of parental preferences,” reports RTE.
“The findings will inform future school planning and support more diverse school provision that reflects the values and needs of modern Ireland,” the department said.
Despite only 30% of marriages now taking place in the Catholic Church, around 90% of primary schools remain under Catholic patronage.
This has resulted in some children being excluded when classmates participate in Catholic religious education or preparation for sacraments such as Communion and Confirmation, reports RTE.
Catholic school patrons have said they support reconfiguration where local communities wish to see it happen, and encouraged parents to take part in the survey.
Minister for Education Helen McEntee said the survey will give a clear indication of where parents would like to see changes in school patronage.
“If that is the case, the department will work closely with those schools and with those communities to see if they want to make that change and to move that forward. So this is really all about understanding what is the parental choice and the demand out there,” she said, reports RTE.
Any resulting changes would not be implemented until September 2027.
“We want to be able to engage with communities. If this is something that they want, and if communities don’t want to change, then I’m 100% behind supporting that and making sure that those communities are supported.”
Schools will be issued a specific identifier number to allow their staff and boards of management to take part in the survey, reports RTE.
“It’s really important that this is a survey for parents, for those who are working in the school community, so that we can get a really clear picture,” the minister said.
Ms McEntee added that the education system “must reflect our society but more importantly, it must respond to what parents want for their children.”
“This is the first time parents, guardians, teachers and board members across every primary school community in Ireland will have the opportunity to clearly express what kind of school they wish to see in their area,” she said, reports RTE.
The Department of Education and Youth described the survey as “a major step towards expanding parental choice in education.”
Previous efforts to encourage school communities to transition from Catholic to multi-denominational patronage have struggled, with only a small number choosing to make the switch, reports RTE.
In north Dublin, one such process was hindered by misinformation — including claims that Christmas, Easter, or Irish greetings like “Dia Dhuit” would no longer be allowed under multi-denominational patronage.
These claims were firmly rejected by both the Department of Education and the multi-denominational sector.
The new survey has been in development for several years, reports RTE.
Commenting on its design two years ago, Department Secretary General Bernie McNally said: “We have learned that we need accessible, succinct, and accurate information for parents.”
The Catholic Education Partnership has encouraged all members of school communities to participate.
Chairperson Marie Griffith said it is important that parents who wish for either a Catholic or a multi-denominational education “make their wishes known so that proper planning for future educational provision can take place,” reports RTE.
The two main providers of multi-denominational education have welcomed the initiative.
Educate Together CEO Emer Nowlan said: “Growing numbers of families have been contacting us seeking the choice of an Educate Together school in recent years. This is a fabulous opportunity for those families to have their voices heard and we would urge everyone, whatever their preference is, to engage with the survey.”
Ms Nowlan also called on the Government to ensure all parents are informed about the survey and have access to reliable information, reports RTE.
Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI), representing state-run Community National Schools, pointed to recent Census data showing a gap between people’s religious beliefs and current school options.
ETBI General Secretary Paddy Lavelle said: “This is an important opportunity to inform the future educational landscape across Ireland. It’s a chance to ensure our schools, in the future, reflect the diverse society we now live in,” reports RTE.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
