The school has relocated to a new building, which is the result of an investment of over £20million, after over 150 years on its previous site in Newry.
Speaking at the official opening event, the Minister said: "Over recent years, the Department of Education has invested enormous amounts of public money in the re-building and modernisation of Abbey Christian Brothers School in Newry. This school and the community it serves have the right to modern, educational facilities and are absolutely entitled to the allocated funding. As Education Minister, I recognise and defend that right. However, the right to draw down large amounts of public investment carries with it responsibilities, including the responsibility to play a full and willing part in meeting the needs of all children in this community, not just the academically gifted and able.
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"The Catholic Bishops have made clear their commitment to the ending of academic selection. Academic selection is a failed system, socially and educationally. It creates and sustains injustice and inequality. It is fundamentally immoral. It has no place in a modern, progressive and enlightened society. In truth, state sponsored academic selection was in fact, academic rejection for the majority of our children. Who can credibly defend or be part of a system that condemns the majority of our children as failures?
"As educationalists, we must reject absolutely and irreversibly the notion that any child is a failure. I would encourage everyone involved in the education of our children to adopt modern approaches which mirror the magnificent, new and modern facilities that we are here to celebrate."
(CD)
