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1,400 parents in petition call over test for P7 pupils
Friday, 8 May 2009
The Education Minister has been presented with a petition from more than 1,400 parents in the Larne area calling on her to consider reinstating a selective test on a temporary basis for P7 pupils.
The petition — started by the Schools Transfer Options for Pupils (Stop) parents’ group — was presented to the chair and deputy chair of the Assembly’s education committee.
Caitriona Ruane turned down a request to meet the group so the DUP’s Mervyn Storey and SDLP education spokesman Dominic Bradley agreed to forward the petition to the minister.
Ms Ruane said she could not meet the group because of diary commitments and referred them to her admissions guidelines.
The children of Stop’s members are due to be the first to transfer to post-primary schools under the unregulated education system caused by the Assembly’s failure to agree on a way forward.
The group has been campaigning for Ms Ruane to consider allowing academic testing of P7 children to continue until politicians can agree on a new school transfer system.
The DUP, UUP, SDLP and Alliance have all urged the minister to reintroduce a test for a couple of years, but so far Ms Ruane has said she will not introduce another ‘state-sponsored selective’ test for P7 pupils.
Dympna Thornton, a mother-of-two and a member of Stop , said: “It is deeply disappointing that the minister refused to meet with our delegation.
“Our P6 children now have a
mere 16 or 17 teaching weeks left until they face a range of selection processes which over 90% of grammar schools have indicated they will hold. The mismanagement of this situation by the minister has meant that a shambolic situation has developed.”
Children’s Commissioner Patricia Lewsley has called on Ms Ruane and the Executive to do all in their power to end the confusion over school transfer. She said: “My job is to promote and safeguard the rights and best interests of children. The current confusion is not in the best interests of pupils.”
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Dear Parental alliance for choice in education, I have absolutely no probelm spelling it out, I personally blame all those politicians who are anti academic selection, primarily Sinn Fein. As a Sinn Fein voter I will be voting a pro academic selection party this year. I see where you are coming from on the educationalists, I feel CCMS have let our children down badly, but unfortunately we cannot vote them out of office.
Posted by Concerned Parent | 15.05.09, 11:02 GMT
Concerned Parent
You seek to blame the politicians instead of the educationalists for the unregulated mess. Which politicians do you hold to account? They can't all be right or wrong can they? Spell it out to the readers. Name the names please.
Posted by parental alliance for choice in education | 15.05.09, 08:00 GMT
All I can say folks is remember it all when you go to the polls in June, and remember it all when the politicians come to your doorstep wanting your vote!
Posted by Concerned Parent | 13.05.09, 15:48 GMT
Can we appeal to the Belfast Telegraph to place a straightforward poll on their web site to vote for or agains an 11+ test?
So many groups have opinions but something must be done to take the stress off the present P6 pupils. Time is running out and Catriona Ruane does not appear to be listening to anyone.
Posted by Mae | 12.05.09, 14:49 GMT
So this is progression? ....... gambling with the future of our children with no real viable option being supported. Our system has worked for years, some children are not educationally mature to sit these tests at such a young age, but they do come into their stride. I have had 2 children, each went through different systems. One passed the 11+ the other didn't, but both ended up at University. The system that is being abandoned worked for my family..... so if it's not broken etc.
Please stop gambling with the future of our next generation, our country depends on them, and they should not be subjected to the whims of politicians and political parties. Put the change on hold until a viable, equally supported system can be introduced and then run them parallel.
Posted by Nee-Naw | 09.05.09, 12:32 GMT
At least the minister sticks to her principles. Sorry, maybe not ... doesn't her daughter attend a Grammar school in Northern Ireland?
The real question is are we content to have our education system destroyed in this manner, against the expressed wishes of the majority across the communities (in every opinion poll), by an incompetent lackey from a party which polled 26% in the assembly elections?
In such circumstances perhaps we should be questioning the validity of the Assembly & Executive.
Posted by pull the ladder up | 08.05.09, 21:01 GMT
Parents for Options, well said.
Oppoents of academic selection seem to think that supporters of academic selection think grammar schools are "superior" and secondary schools are "for failures". Well I don't know where they get that idea from - all children have different abilities, so we need to accept that and have different schools to suit.
Posted by David | 08.05.09, 19:00 GMT
The minister's only aim is to destroy the education system in NI. It's a bit like dismantling the state brick by brick and easier to do from the inside than the out.
The whole point of the Assembly was to be governed by concensus - no party whether unionist or republican was supposed to be able to unilaterally steam roll policy changes through - in practice we've seen them do it with education and health.
When will we get what we were promised under the Good Friday Agreement?
Posted by sheila | 08.05.09, 16:26 GMT
Well Ruane's diary didn't include attendance at the Londonderry college when the Royal visit took place unlike the minister for health who was present at Altnagelvin.
The STOP group need to make clear whether they support academic selection on principle.
Posted by M.Blair | 08.05.09, 14:43 GMT
The timescale faced by our children does not allow for the luxury of debate on the future direction of education.
Our children are being sacrificed now, whilst pro and anti selection arguments will no doubt continue for years to come!!!
Posted by P6 parent | 08.05.09, 14:12 GMT
Unfortunately there are some Left Wing, self righteous educationalists who support Ruane's position.
to just Stop all Academic Selection is a Blinkered approach,
and not viable in the REAL world
Flexibility is the key to giving our children the best Options.
Academic Selection will always be an option suited for some.
Grammar Schools have a role to play, Technical Colleges also
have a Role to play, - and "ALL" of these options shoud be
supported, and developed to give our children the best.
Posted by Parents for Options | 08.05.09, 12:17 GMT
Why the temporary basis? If the STOP parents want academic selection for their children on principle, rather than self-interested convenience, why limit their demand for a regulated test to a temporary period unless they secretly wish to see an end to academic selection for other parents' children?
Posted by parental alliance for choice in education | 08.05.09, 10:17 GMT
That's more of this ministers type of consultation which of course she keeps telling us she does, but it means ignoring anybody who doesn't agree with her. In this case not even giving a hearing never mind listening. What could have been more important in her diary during her own defined consultation period for Transfer 2010?
Posted by Mark | 08.05.09, 09:29 GMT
Given the current situation where children can face as many as 5 tests some of which include taking 2 tests in the 1 day (with a 30min break in between) it would seem the Minister is not the only one culpable.
Politicians, clergy, educationalists and we as parents have all failed our children. We have failed to prevent this chaos!
Well done to Stop for trying!
Posted by Despairing P6 Parent | 08.05.09, 08:01 GMT