This article is from page 15 of the 2007-08-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 15 JPG
THE Mol an Oige Group has made a last-ditch attempt to secure State recognition for the upcoming school year by directly appealing to Junior Minister, Tony Killeen and other politicians in the country to inter- vene in the saga.
The Mol an Oige Steiner School in Ennistymon and Raheen Wood Steiner School in Tuamgraney have encountered several hurdles in rela- tion to securing State recognition for the upcoming year.
Now, with the new school year less than two weeks away, Secretary of the Mol an Oige Group, Mary Fahey has told Minister Killeen and other local politicians in a letter, “With over 50 students enrolled in the new school for September, and still no decision from our minister, what are we supposed to do now?
“We ask you to voice our concerns directly to Minister Hanafin and help bring about a positive resolution for
all involved.”
If the schools can secure state rec- ognition, they will be the first Steiner primary school to receive recognition and this will result in the department paying teachers’ salaries and remove the need for the schools to continu- ally fundraise and parents to pay fees for their children’s education.
In the letter to Minister Killeen and the other politicians, Ms Fahey States, ““Here we are with two weeks left until school re-opens, and a new Mol an Oige multi-denominational primary school has yet to be recog- nised by the Minister for Education.
“We understand the minister 1s concerned about the proposed new Mol an Oige multi-denominational primary school and its compliance with department requirements due to its Steiner ethos”.
A Department of Education spokes- man said the schools’ application re- mains under consideration but could not give a date as to when a decision will be made.