Stormont education minister Paul Givan has defended his record on integrated education as he continues to come under fire for his decision to reject applications from two schools.
The DUP minister said he had “moved to protect” some integrated schools since taking up the role last year and had also approved a number of proposals for schools to transform to integrated status.
“I think the evidence shows that I have been a minister for every sector in Northern Ireland when it comes to education,” he said.
Mr Givan was criticised this week for turning down bids from Bangor Academy and Sixth Form College, the largest school in Northern Ireland, and Rathmore PS.
Both schools had applied for integrated status from September 2025 and had received majority parental support.
According to department documents, officials had recommended both schools transform, but the minister decided not to approve, stating there was not enough evidence there would be enough Catholic pupils at each school for it to provide integrated education.
The principals of both have described the minister’s decision as a “big disappointment” and said there was an “overwhelming feeling of immense sadness”.
Both head teachers said on Thursday that the schools would now consider their next steps.
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan has called on Mr Givan to “listen to the wishes of parents...in their call for integrated status”.
“The education minister has a duty to support, encourage and facilitate integrated education,” he said.
“The minister should work constructively with parents and schools to fulfil that duty.”
Alliance MLA Connie Egan also had said the “minister needs to set out his rationale for effectively blocking integrated education across north Down”.
But speaking on the BBC, the education minister defended his decisions since taking up the role in February 2024.
“I have approved a number of development proposals for schools to transform into controlled integrated schools,” he said.
“I announced a new £10 million project for Bangor Central Integrated primary school only within a couple of months having taken on minister for education.
“I moved to protect integrated schools that had lost funding from London to develop new builds and brought them into my department.”
The Department of Education said on Thursday that since taking up the educational ministerial brief, Mr Givan has approved five applications from schools to transform to controlled integrated status.
These schools were Downshire Nursery School, Magherafelt Nursery School, Ballymena Nursery School, Cairnshill Primary School and Lurgan Model PS.
He also agreed to plans to establish nursery units at Omagh Integrated PS and Cliftonville Integrated PS as well as approving increased number at Millennium Integrated Primary School.
“I think the evidence shows that I have been a minister for every sector in Northern Ireland when it comes to education, whether that be the controlled schools by the Education Authority, the Catholic maintained schools, Irish medium or integrated schools,” Mr Givan added.
“So I think the terminology and those that want to frame this particular decision in that context do an injustice to the wider debate that I think Northern Ireland should have around our education system.
“But it doesn’t accurately reflect both the way in which I have taken decisions and how I personally feel our education system should be that every school is open, accessible, inclusive to people in Northern Ireland.”
