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6,000 signatures ... and more to come as we prepare to deliver our Sit Down, Sort It Out petition to the heart of government
Thursday, 22 October 2009
enlargeStormont leaders are facing an overwhelming demand to listen to the voice of the people as more than 6,000 people have signed up to the Telegraph’s Sit Down, Sort It Out campaign.
Hundreds of names from parents, teachers, children and people from all walks of life are flowing in to us by post, email and online as you throw your weight behind our the campaign — demanding that the Executive open talks to resolve the school transfer stalemate.
And now we will deliver your message right to their doorstep.
We will hand over the first batch of petitions to members of the Assembly's education |committee on Saturday December 5 — the same day thousands of young people sit their last test set by the Association of Quality Education. We will be joined by a delegation of teachers, parents and young people at Parliament Buildings to hand over the thousands of signatures collected by then. And we want you to join us. Everyone is welcome.
We will continue our campaign until the Executive opens talks to reach political agreement on how children will transfer from primary to post-primary schools.
Among the delegation will be Catherine Lemon who has been gathering signatures in support of our petition. Her daughter is in P6 at Gilnahirk Primary.
She said: “I will definitely be there. It is good to see the issue being talked about more than it was but Sinn Fein are still not listening and just seem to be digging their heels in by not joining the other politicians for discussions. Time is running out for my daughter — who will be transferring next year. I have friends with children in P7 and they are having an awful time so I want to see this sorted out before next year.”
Stephen Moore, principal of Academy Primary in Saintfield, is also planning to attend the petition hand over in December along with parents and children from his school.
He said: “It’s time to leave party politics and educational ideologies behind. While the adults continue to squabble, children’s wellbeing and their futures are being undermined. What we have is a divisive and unregulated form of selection which has brought even more pressure on our children.
“Sadly the time for sitting down and sorting the confusion and chaos has long since passed for this year’s P7 pupils. It is imperative that action is taken now to avert a second year of mayhem for our P6 children.
“Every single adult I have spoken to, irrespective of their views on selection and transfer, have said this issue needs sorting out now. It is time for our politicians to listen to the pleas of thousands of people who have backed the campaign and learn from the failings of this year. If every child really matters, then it is time to sit down and sort it out now.”
Belfast Telegraph editor Mike Gilson said: “We are delighted with the response so far to our campaign and hundreds of names are still being added to the petition every day. We will deliver the first batch of petitions to the education committee in December but our campaign will not end there. We will continue to push for political action until agreement is reached on a new transfer system.
“We do not want this year's P6 pupils to go through the turmoil and confusion the current P7 children and their families are having to deal with. Again, we would appeal to the Executive ministers to sit down and sort this issue out. The public are crying out for leadership on this issue and currently our politicians are letting them down.
“We welcome weekly talks taking place involving four of the education spokesmen but it is essential that this issue moves up and onto the agenda of the Executive for key decisions to be taken and a resolution to be found.”
We are also outlining today some of the options which could be considered by our politicians in their attempt to reach consensus.
It is likely that a short term solution could be required for the next year or two — and this may involve some kind of P7 test — while full agreement is reached on a long-term solution.
To sign the petition, go here
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The basic question is not whether or not the test is fair etc etc but do we really need a test at all? I would suggest that a test at 11+ is totally unnecessary. Been there done that. What a waste of human endeavour. Norn Iron needs to get in the real world. Poor little year P7s are not setting the agenda but poor little parents of poor little year P7s are. Send them all to their local school regardless of whether they are comprehensive, grammar Calathumprian and see how they go. Norn Iron is drowning in its own educational quagmire.
Posted by Bert | 02.11.09, 12:28 GMT
joanna... perhaps you should not be surprised...
Do you remember the huge numbers of petitions and surveys which took place around 4 years ago saying people did not want academic selection to end? And did Ruane listen to the democratic voice of the people? No, she did not. It is little wonder people are disillusioned.
Posted by David | 25.10.09, 00:20 GMT
Exasperated | 22.10.09, 13:12 GMT
The question on the Belfast Telegraph's education policy is one for the editor to answer. The absence of any detail on such a policy speaks for itself. At present it is neither for nor against academic selection and the 11-plus.
The "tide of education reform" you claim is awash with the flotsam and jetsam of rubbish generated by misguided educationalists. A cleanup is urgently required but the principle of selection is as solid as the Giant's Causeway.
Since the BT claim an overwhelming demand to listen to the voice of more than 6,000 people for their campaign it must come up with a new superlative for the 13,737 pupils prepared to accept unregulated 11-plus tests. Your anti-grammar choice is catered for but cannot be imposed on others. Do you want to talk about the Incas failure next?
Posted by Parental Alliance for Choice in Education | 23.10.09, 07:42 GMT
I think the main problem is that Ms Ruane has not been radical enough. The UK performs extremely badly on the world stage and NI smugly asserts it is better than UK... Who wants to be slightly better than the worst.
I would not dream of supporting such a petition but I would fully support any petition which was worded to the effect that MLAs must do what they signed up to; work together for the benefit of all the people of this mini state; forget arrogance and smugness and tribalism and then Ms Ruane or whomever just might produce a world class education system.
Posted by Realist | 22.10.09, 20:29 GMT
Seymour makes a valid point, the majority of Stormont politicians have no formal education and have been placed in positions way outside their comfort zones.
Perhaps we need a few more from across the water or maybe down South to add much needed expertise !
Posted by Peter | 22.10.09, 17:11 GMT
This is very disingenuous of the BT. They're effectively saying "can no-one stop that mad Shinner woman from doing away with our precious 11-plus ?"
We need resolution to be sure but I ain't signing a petition with this agenda.
Posted by Yip | 22.10.09, 15:44 GMT
6000 signatures...is that it?! A pretty pathetic showing after such a big campaign, eh BT?
Posted by joanna | 22.10.09, 15:44 GMT
PACE asks "Do the Belfast Telegraph have an education policy?" This is a very interesting question.
Looking at the supply of 'Practice Papers' to support the dissident grammar schools hell bent on subjecting children to a stressful testing process; the editorial stance regarding 'good grammar schools' with their 'Top grammar principals' and the platform given to the commercial AQE organization (complete with instruction as to how to access their products) one can only conclude the BT is chock full of grammar old boys (and occasional girl) attempting to stem the tide of educational reform and maintain the privileged status quo.
Does the BT have an educational policy...you bet!
Posted by Exasperated | 22.10.09, 13:12 GMT
Do the Belfast Telegraph have an education policy? If so it would be useful for readers to know what it is. If not, where have the options to be considered by politicians come from? The Editor should appreciate that the devil is in the details.
Posted by Parental Alliance for Choice in Education | 22.10.09, 09:43 GMT
unfortunately, it takes time to establish an effective and experienced government......... limited progress will be made at any level here for a decade or two..............
these guys were 'pulled in' off the street and handed the reigns - they're fumbling their way through every day !!
Posted by seymour bunting | 22.10.09, 09:14 GMT
Are the 6,000 BT petition signatories for or against academic selection? It would be a shame for them to find out they had opposite views on the day that many of the 13,737 children are sitting their transfer tests. Most P7 parents supportive of the 11-plus will be with their children at the grammar school. Could this be a case of handing the opponents of selection an opportunity to skew the picture?
Members of the Education Committee working on a Saturday? This is unusual. Perhaps they will also convene to sort out the Incas results fiasco.
Posted by Parental Alliance for Choice in Education | 22.10.09, 07:31 GMT