The End of Denominational Schooling in Newfoundland and Labrador: Lessons for Northern Ireland?

The early English and Irish settlers in Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada), significantly shaped the province’s social institutions, including the creation of a system of denominationally segregated schools that remained in effect until the late 20th century. Educational reforms enacted in 1997 replaced the denominational model with a single public school system, ending more that 150 years of control by the Christian churches. At roughly the same time that these changes were being made, in Northern Ireland, the Belfast Agreement resolved decades of conflict and set forth goals for educational and social integration, including the establishment of integrated schools. In this paper we review and compare the education policy contexts in the two jurisdictions and explore the differences in their current structural approaches—public education in Newfoundland and Labrador versus the continuation of denominationbased schooling in Northern Ireland. While denomination-based schooling remains the norm in Northern Ireland, it is possible that lessons learned from the experience of Newfoundland and Labrador might contribute to ongoing discussions about potential futures for Northern Irish education.