Assembly to debate right to education
The Assembly will debate a motion calling for support for the
right to education of schoolchildren attending the Holy Cross
Primary School in North Belfast on Monday 10 September at its
first session after the summer recess.
Commenting on the motion, which he proposed, Sinn Féin North
Belfast Assembly member Gerry Kelly said:
``It is important that now people from across the political
spectrum have urged a resolution of the disgraceful situation in
North Belfast that the Assembly supports the basic right to
education.
``A cross party message from the Assembly will send out a very
clear message to those loyalists who are targeting school girls
as young as four for sectarian violence and intimidation, that
this is not acceptable and that it is not the way to tackle the
deeper issues.
``I would call upon all the political parties to support this
clear call for basic rights to be upheld.''
d Sinn Féin Education Spokesperson, West Tyrone Assembly member
Barry McElduff has said that he will urge the Education Committee
to issue a statement on the situation at the Holy Cross Girls
Primary School when it meets this Thursday.
``As part of the structures arising from the Agreement it would be
important that the Education Committee take a stand on the right
to education of these young school children,'' he said.
``The right to education is not negotiable. The demand for these
children to be cowed should be treated with the contempt it
deserves. They are entitled to be treated with dignity and
equality, they are not second class citizens.
``Loyalists in Glenbryn should be given all the encouragement
possible to enter into dialogue. The education committee can send
that encouragement. Hopefully a cross party visit to support the
school children, parents and staff at the Holy Cross Girls
Primary School can also be arranged.''
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