Education problems in Northern Ireland

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33061, 31 October 1972, Page 7

Education problems in Northern Ireland

RICHARD NORSWORTHY,

N.Z.P. A.-Reuter

correspondent)

BELFAST, Oct. 30. I At St Anthony’s i School in a Roman ! Catholic enclave in i Protestant East Belfast, two 10-year-old girls sit in a large classroom alone with their teacher. Only a few weeks ago there were 28 other girls in the class, but weeks of | violence and attacks by ■Protestant gangs on Roman | Catholic churches, schools ■and homes have produced an j exodus from the area. The I sectarian violence and ! intimidation in the capital iand other parts of Northern i Ireland have placed a heavy I burden not only on housing : officials but on school authorities as well. St Anthony’s School was built four years ago and opened with 248 pupils on its rolls. The principal, Sister Bernadine, said, “We have only 100 children

now and even those are nervous and find it difficult to concentrate on their work.

“Many of the families have left after intimidation and attacks. Some of them have left the country and some have moved to other parts of town."

The story is the same in the companion boys’ school where numbers have dropped in recent weeks. There, the vice-principal said, “We had 250 pupils 18 months ago and the figures have dropped by 120. And I know that this figure will drop again soon. “Just a few days ago, a mother with two children told me that she and her family were moving to England to get away from the violence and fear.” Whenever an exodus starts from a troubled area, housing officials do their best to cool the situation and convince the families to stay. But they see no lasting solution until peace comes to Northern Ireland.