Cork primary school, St. Oliver’s National School, has set a new standard for excellence in education. It is the second primary school in Ireland to receive the coveted Unicef award, and it is a proud moment for the school community. The gold standard award is given to schools that enforce the rights of the child and adopt the principles of respect, diversity, and care for the environment. The recognition is a testament to the school’s commitment to providing a safe, inclusive and progressive learning environment for its students. In this article, we will explore the importance of the Unicef award and how St. Oliver’s National School is leading the way in promoting child rights in education.
The Educate Together School in Douglas and Rochestown, Cork, has been awarded the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) gold award, becoming the second primary school in Ireland to do so. The gold award is bestowed on schools that demonstrate complete integration of children’s rights throughout the school’s policies, practices, and ethos.
The award was a three-year endeavor, with the school working tirelessly to achieve the status, according to student council member and fourth-class student Penny Moran, who is only 10 years old. “We did various activities with all of our different classes in school. We made art, we learned about human rights, and sang different songs,” she said.
The pupils’ work for the project entailed learning and teaching others about the significance of children’s rights, according to second-class student Nessa Weldon, 8. “We learned about all different types of rights, and that every child should be allowed to have their rights. Some of these are the right to education, the right to food, a right to a home, a right to play, and a right to clean water”.
The project included a focus on art and collaboration, according to fourth-class student Giacomo Gastoldi, 11. “In our class, everyone got a certain right to imagine and draw on a sheet of paper. Then we stuck it all together to show how we all fit together, and it showed all our rights.”
The completed art project was placed on display in the school. On Wednesday, the school welcomed UNICEF and celebrated the achievement with music and a visit by the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Deirdre Forde.
Sixth-class student Belle Tiptaft, 12, said: “It was an exciting day. We did a lot of singing, we did a lot of celebrating. All the hard work was worth it. We’re the second primary school in Ireland to ever receive the award.” Teacher and assistant principal Ciara Lynch stated, “It’s a real achievement, so we’re very proud of the children and of all the work they have put in.”
The UNICEF Child Rights Schools programme ensures that schools integrate children’s rights into their everyday activities. The school had organized various fundraisers for children’s charity Barretstown, as well as for supporting children from around the world, with a focus on refugees from Ukraine, and local clean-up activities.
Douglas Rochestown Educate Together’s accomplishment is a source of pride for the school, and it is fantastic to see children learning about the significance of children’s rights from an early age. It is a testament to the pupils’ and teachers’ hard work and commitment.
