Cork school awarded inclusivity yellow flag

North Monastery Co-educational Secondary School has been awarded a yellow flag in recognition of intercultural and anti-racism policies.

The Cork school was recognised at the annual Yellow Flag Programme (YFP) Awards ceremony in Dublin.

The programme supports schools to challenge racism and discrimination. North Mon joins 136 primary and post-primary schools nationwide that follow the yellow flag steps to embed inclusivity, along with diversity, in practice and policy across the schools community.

One of the teachers at North Mon Claire Dunlea, described the anti-racism and inclusion policy: “Our policy highlights our diversity and emphasises support for inclusion in the entire school community,” Ms Dunlea said.

“By bringing attention to and celebrating this diversity, through language, celebrating traditions, finding out about various cultures, religious practices, festivals and how life is lived in the 46 different countries and ethnicities that make up our school community, knowledge and respect increase and racism, discrimination and exclusion decrease.”

Yellow Flag Programme national co-ordinator Sian Mooney congratulated the entire school community at North Mon. She also highlighted a survey of teachers, which showed that 81% of teachers had never attended intercultural or anti-racism training.

Ms Mooney said of the programme: “Government investment is needed to support teachers in responding to racism and to equip them with specific knowledge and skills in intercultural education.”

The Yellow Flag Programme Awards ceremony was opened by the Ombudsman for Children Niall Muldoon, who highlighted the important role that it plays.

“It is crucial that we invest in programmes like the Yellow Flag, because it is an investment in a more stable and positive future socially, educationally, economically and democratically.

“It is very positive to see that so much of the work to create this programme is led by the students themselves.”