HC Deb 24 February 1988 vol 128 c187W
Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the education for mutual understanding project, in the light of the delay in granting maintained status to fully integrated schools.

Dr. Mawhinney

In addition to various initiatives designed to improve cross-community contacts I am continuing my support for the education for mutual understanding project under the auspices of the Northern Ireland Council for Educational Development. Work on an EMU guideline for teachers is at an advanced stage and should be published in time for the start of the 1988–89 academic year.

The operation of this project has no relationship to the granting of maintained status to integrated independent schools. In order to achieve this status, these schools must be able to prove their future viability.