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13/06/2002
Enrolment at Holy Cross Primary School falls by half
The Catholic primary school which was at the centre of a loyalist standoff in north Belfast last year has revealed that enrolment numbers for the next academic year are down almost 50 per cent.
Holy Cross Primary School in Ardoyne suffered the glare of the world’s media last year when it became the centre of a tense three-month loyalist standoff which saw pupils being escorted to the school by the security forces on a daily basis.
With just two weeks left in the current school year, it has emerged that only 19 children have enrolled for primary one for the new term at Holy Cross in September.
That is approximately half the number which had enrolled for the school at this time last year.
Father Aidan Troy, Chairman of the Holy Cross Board of Governors said he was deeply concerned about the news and that it posed questions over the school’s long-term viability.
North Belfast SDLP assembly member for the area Alban Maginness said he was alarmed by the drop in numbers.
“Clearly this is an understandable reaction by parents who are worried for the safety of their daughters,” he said.
“However North Belfast as a whole has suffered greatly from the instability and street violence over the past year or more. It is a problem that we as politicians must address and it stems from the sectarian culture that we have inherited.
“The reality is that sectarianism is a powerful disease, powerfully affecting the very well being of the whole community, Catholic and Protestant. We urgently require an antidote to this political disease.”
(AMcE)
Holy Cross Primary School in Ardoyne suffered the glare of the world’s media last year when it became the centre of a tense three-month loyalist standoff which saw pupils being escorted to the school by the security forces on a daily basis.
With just two weeks left in the current school year, it has emerged that only 19 children have enrolled for primary one for the new term at Holy Cross in September.
That is approximately half the number which had enrolled for the school at this time last year.
Father Aidan Troy, Chairman of the Holy Cross Board of Governors said he was deeply concerned about the news and that it posed questions over the school’s long-term viability.
North Belfast SDLP assembly member for the area Alban Maginness said he was alarmed by the drop in numbers.
“Clearly this is an understandable reaction by parents who are worried for the safety of their daughters,” he said.
“However North Belfast as a whole has suffered greatly from the instability and street violence over the past year or more. It is a problem that we as politicians must address and it stems from the sectarian culture that we have inherited.
“The reality is that sectarianism is a powerful disease, powerfully affecting the very well being of the whole community, Catholic and Protestant. We urgently require an antidote to this political disease.”
(AMcE)
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Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:Another cloudy and mild night with the odd spot of light drizzle. More widespread outbreaks of rain will spread southeast into western parts of Tyrone, Fermanagh and Derry late in the night. Minimum temperature 8 °C.
