A quarter of parents say they would rather not send their kids to an integrated school despite efforts to promote cross-community education.

The study by the Department of Education and NISRA found that 25% of parents were against sending their children to integrated schools

Meanwhile, the survey also found that 67.1% of parents did not see integrated education as a top priority when choosing a school for their child.

Just 12.9% of people surveyed said that integrated education was the most important issue for them when selecting a school for their child.

This compared with 32% of parents surveyed who said that the quality of education was the most important issue.

The study also found that 37% of parents who selected a non-integrated school for their child would not support the establishment switching to an integrated venue – compared to just 16.9% who would.

Of those who sent their kids to non-integrated schools, 2.2% said they “didn’t want Integrated Education”

Just over 1% said not wanting Integrated Education was their most important factor when selecting a school for their child.

The research also points to the fact that those who do wish to send their children to integrated schools may struggle to get a place due to the small number of schools and an oversubscription.

DUP Education minister Paul Givan said in January that plans by Bangor Academy and Rathmore Primary School in Co Down to become integrated should not proceed.

Alliance Education spokesperson Michelle Guy told the Irish News that more needs to be done to promote Integrated Education in the north.

“Every parent deserves access to an integrated education for their child,” she said.

“It is crucial that we give parents who want to send their child to an integrated school, the opportunity to do so. Currently the demand for integrated education far outweighs the number of integrated school places, with only around 8% of pupils currently attending an Integrated School and it is crucial the Education Minister now addresses that demand.”

“It is clear that will require a change of approach from this current minister who has recently gone against the democratic wishes of parents in a number of schools, denying them the opportunity to transform to integrated.”