Education authority blasted over funding failure at Knockevin

Education authority blasted over funding failure at Knockevin

28 April 2021

A MOTHER has criticised the Department of Education’s decision not to proceed with a £4m school enhancement programme at Knockevin Special School in Downpatrick.

Aine Doxey said parents were told this week that an extension to the school to replace mobile classrooms was not going ahead.

“For the last two years we have been told that we couldn’t go ahead with our new playground  equipment at the school because of this planned school enhancement programme as the work would have ended ripping it up,” Mrs Doxey told the Recorder.

“We ended up having to fundraise for the things we were promised such as the playground and the new school bus and now this.

“We need proper school accommodation for our children and Knockevin needs to be improved and in fact extended to provide extra places.

“Children in Downpatrick are expected to travel to Banbridge for school because there aren’t enough places here. 

No mainstream child would ever be expected to travel 30-plus miles to receive a suitable education.”

Mrs Doxey, whose youngest daughter attends Knockevin’s junior school in Dundrum, complained that the current mobile classrooms were in a poor condition and she and other parents were feeling very frustrated at the decision.

She said that parents from the school’s Parent Support Association (PSA) had agreed to send a letter to the Department and the Education Authority to call for adequate investment in the school as a priority and to provide more school places.

Mrs Doxey questioned the need for the Department to spend money on the proposed amalgamation of St Patrick’s Grammar School, De La Salle High School and St Mary’s High School in Downpatrick.

“Why is the Department putting all this money into amalgamating schools when there’s a special school that needs essential maintenance,” she said.

“From my personal opinion, it screams of discrimination towards children with disabilities. The amalgamation does not need to happen, but the repair of Knockevin is essential.

“I would encourage all other parents to make their views known to both the Department and the Education Authority.”

Mrs Doxey added that the PSA went ahead to raise money for the school’s new sensory room after waiting for funding to come through because the children needed the therapy.