Schools census figures have revealed there are now more Catholic pupils in schools than ever in the North of Ireland.
Government statistics show 175,617 Catholic students enrolled this year, making up 50.7% of all enrolments. This is the first time the figure has increased over 175,000. This is contrasted with a plunge in the amount of Protestant students who made up 33%.
Over 56,000 pupils identified as ‘other’. Nineteen years ago the amount of Catholic students in schools was the same, at 50.7%, while Protestants made up 42.7%.
Enrolment
It is suggested however that many Protestants are not identifying as such, with the decline coinciding with the rise in ‘other’ or ‘non-Christian’ pupils.
The Department of Education stats also show that Catholic families are more inclined to send their children to schools in other sectors, while Protestants children enrolment in Catholic schools remains low.
Currently there are more Catholic children in secondary, grammar, primary, nursery and special schools.