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Caitriona Ruane: I won’t resign, I won’t back down
Friday, 18 September 2009
enlargeAs the application deadline closes for new entrance exams, Education Minister Caitriona Ruane answers questions from the Belfast Telegraph's online readers
Q: The point of removing the 11-plus was to reduce stress and labelled as failures on children. With the 11-plus gone and a quagmire in its place, have you reduced or increased stress and the pressure of being labelled a failure on young children?
David, Belfast
Caitriona Ruane: Children have been labelled as failures over the years as a result of how they have performed in the 11-plus.
The use of the breakaway tests by some schools is perpetuating this process, which I am totally opposed to and it is a matter for those schools to answer for their actions in placing pressure on children and parents. Thankfully we are now moving forward with the publication of the Transfer 2010 Guidance for schools.
Q: I have been reading the various articles about this mess and have one question which I have not yet read an answer for. Can you tell me how in a democracy that one minister has the power to inflict a single will on the people of Northern Ireland? I just don’t understand how that can happen.
Jason
CR: As Minister of Education I have responsibility to reform the education system for the benefit of all children, irrespective of their community or family background.
I and my officials have had hundreds of meetings and met thousands of teachers and parents over the past 28 months. The vast majority of those people were opposed to the testing of 10-year-old children. The policies I am implementing reflect those views and will introduce equality to the core of our education system.
Q: Can Ms Ruane please explain how she intends to rescue the educational system within Northern Ireland after she has helped to plunge it into the chaos that is now unfolding in front of all of us. It is not acceptable in the 21st century to simply do away with the transfer test system, allow schools to be left to do their own thing and for her, as Education Minister, to play Pontius Pilate and wash her hands of the legal tsunami that will undoubtly follow. In her defence we cannot simply blame her alone for this unholy mess. Her colleagues within the Executive and indeed the wider Assembly must also bear the responsibility for creating this situation.
A dis-enfranchised parent
CR – I have repeatedly said that I wanted to legislate for my proposals and on two occasions tried to have them discussed at Executive meetings, but this was blocked by both unionist parties. That is why last February I published Transfer 2010 for consultation.
Over 3,000 responses to the consultation were received and the overwhelming majority of these were opposed to academic selection.
The final Transfer 2010 Guidance published in June sets out a clear path for schools to follow without subjecting children to entrance tests.
If schools follow the Transfer 2010 Guidance we can keep families together and keep communities together as children will not be travelling many miles to school. The vast majority of education systems around the world do not use any form of academic selection.
I do not accept your assertion that our education system is in a mess. We face challenges, however I have full confidence that our educationalists will continue to educate all our children in a stable and caring environment.
Earlier this year I welcomed the report from the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, which recommended the abolition of the transfer test and the inclusion of all children in admission arrangements in post-primary schools.
Q: Why could you not have kept the 11-plus as it was until a satisfactory solution was found and everyone had agreed on the new system? Look at the mayhem this has created. My child has to sit both the GL and AQE exams. It is a disgrace.
Karen
CR: If schools follow the transfer 2010 guidance there is no need for any child to sit an entrance test. Towards the end of the last school year I held a number of meetings with several hundred primary principals. The vast majority voiced their opposition to any form of academic selection. The minority of schools setting tests to select and reject children are responsible for putting children through unnecessary testing.
Q: Why do secondary schools not get a mention in this debate? There are some very good all ability schools in Northern Ireland.
Pete, Lisburn
CR: Sections of the media have concentrated the debate on the grammar schools, presenting a false argument that only grammar schools are capable of offering an academic education. Across the north of Ireland we have many non-selective post primary schools producing excellent results across a range of academic and non academic areas.
They have shown how they can provide excellent education across a wide ability range without the use of entrance tests. I have always focussed on the very good work many of our secondary schools are doing in spite of the inequalities in the education system. I have recognised and applaud excellence in education and am working to make this available to every child and young person through a range of progressive reforms.
Q: Would you accept a compromise involving academic selection at age 14 when key decisions are already being made by young people?
Brian, Co Antrim
CR: I believe that 14 is a more appropriate age to decide upon educational pathways through discussion between teachers, parents, and the young person without having to use any form of selection.
Through the development of area based planning we can provide a schools estate to match the educational needs of the local community without thousands of children passing each other in buses every day, travelling many miles to get to school.
Q: Why don't you accept that no-one has any confidence in you and resign now?
Richard, Cullybackey
CR: I have never shied away from difficult decisions. The debate around the 11-plus has gone on for over half a century. I have acted and removed it.
For too long the inequalities in our education system have been ignored and I was not prepared to let this continue. I will not be resigning and will continue with the task of modernising our education system.
The vast majority of educationalists are opposed to academic selection as are all the teacher unions. We have over 1,200 schools across the north of Ireland and we cannot let a small minority opposed to change block much needed reform.
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"The Public have spoken. 7000 children registered for AQE tests with places over subscribed by 2500 and approx 6000 registered for GL tests."
That's nothing, Ruane has spoken to 25 million teachers and parents who support her plans for the future of education in the wee bit of Ireland up at the top. If Grammar schools are over subscribed on the free school meal criteria, then we revert to, the who prefers fish and chips criteria.
If all else fails then, a who's got the biggest dad competition, will decide the final places.
Stephen
Posted by Stephen | 23.09.09, 19:47 GMT
We no longer need a referendum. The Public have spoken. 7000 children registered for AQE tests with places over subscribed by 2500 and approx 6000 registered for GL tests.
She can do and say what she likes, the public want testing for Grammars, so either the Education Board control it or the Grammar schools will.
The Assembly need to call for a vote of no confidence in her or the public call for a vote of no confidence in the entire Assembly.
What exactly, as tax payers, are we paying these numpty's for...........
Posted by Sam, Ballymoney | 23.09.09, 11:41 GMT
To Hugh: I am also an outsider but I am originally from Belfast. Ms Ruane is Sinn Fein and she would sooner bite off her lip than say Northern Ireland.......She is a part of the anachronism that is Northern Ireland/Ulster: the coin which has Sinn Fein on one side and the DUP on the other.....dinosaurs who play with politics in Ireland (SF span the Republic as well).
If Ireland is to be reunited then it is up to the people of Northern Ireland to make that decision.......as stipulated also in the St Andrew's agreement. Until that day then NI remains a part of the UK....whether Sinn Feinn likes it or not.....there are also enough Catholics in NI who wish to remain in the UK as there are Protestants who wish to join the Republic.
Posted by sean gilmartin | 22.09.09, 16:57 GMT
this lady is a joke she does not know what she is doing. she has destoryed the education system
Posted by bb | 22.09.09, 10:55 GMT
a question from an outsider reading your report as to why does this minister keep referring to Northern Ireland as the north of Ireland..???
Posted by Hugh | 21.09.09, 10:20 GMT
At the risk of being boring and repetitive, the education system in Norn Iron is a disaster. As I've said before, let's have children attend their local school regardless of class, creed, physical or mental abilities and provide the school with the funds/staffing etc to ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed to their individual abilities. The old school tie does not necessarily provide an education relevant to the needs of the individual. The other alternative is to rebrand every secondary school with the title 'Grammar'. Everyone can then boast that their child had the benefit of a grammar education.
Posted by Bert | 20.09.09, 11:23 GMT
If parents want an opportunity to oppose the Minister's intransigent position in a meaningful way they should visit the website or contact the National Grammar Schools Association directly. Simply of put the name into Google or Yahoo to get the link. Affiliate membership is available for any supporter of grammar schools and the principle of academic selection.
It is clear that the Belfast Telegraph have been unable to obtain adequate answers from the Minister. Perhaps parents should rely upon a national organisation, the NGSA, which is the only association solely dedicated to the retention and expansion of the grammar school option as a choice for all parents.
Only 'people power' will succeed and the NGSA exists to focus that power locally and nationally for supporters of grammar schools.
Posted by Parental Alliance for Choice in Education | 20.09.09, 08:42 GMT
Writing as a product of the 11+ and Grammar School system, I am apalled at the single-mindedness of the minister.
I was the only child of a family of 5 who benefited from the teaching provided by the grammar stream.
I, driven by the expectations of a Grosvenor Old Boy, had an easy transition to a college degree and subsequent business ownership.
This minister must go!
Tommy Hall
Posted by tommy hall | 19.09.09, 01:33 GMT
A total waste of time . This excuse for a minister is either in denial or as i suspect pushing a SF agenda on social engineering. Only a fool would remove selection without first designing a process that can maintain academic excellence. Her proposals would stifle social movement and ghettoise communities even further. How long will we have to suffer her before we get a minister who at least acknowleges that there are two sides to this argument and implements fair and equitable proposals. Like many of our so called ministers she is not up to the job, by a long stretch.However we get what we vote for and this has been a hard lesson for everyone. No point in asking her to resign when she is achieving exactly what she set out to do, cause chaos and create animosity.This debate is not about the 11plus, it is about SFs agenda to disrupt the Northern Ireland institutions from within and lets face it they are doing a pretty good job of it. On message for CR..WE PARENTS HAVN'T GONE AWAY U NO
Posted by GJ | 18.09.09, 23:53 GMT
Can someone please ask her why she believes Northern Ireland pupils constantly out-perform they're peers across the water? Is this just a coincidence? And if we remove academic selection altogether, will she hold her hands up if in five years we begin to achieve the same shoddy results as the rest of the UK? I expect us all being equally shoddy would fit in nicely with her socialist views...
Posted by Mark | 18.09.09, 16:05 GMT
Just who the hell is this 'vast majority' of whom she speaks that support her decisions...because I know of not one single parent or person who agrees with this woman or what she is attempting to do. It might do Ms Ruane good to know that while she intends to stand firm so do WE as parents in this issue.
Posted by wendy | 18.09.09, 14:15 GMT
'The point of removing the 11-plus was to reduce stress and labelled as failures on children. With the 11-plus gone and a quagmire in its place, have you reduced or increased stress and the pressure of being labelled a failure on young children?'
Mrs Ruane did not answer this question. A simple yes or no would have been sufficient.
'I and my officials have had hundreds of meetings and met thousands of teachers and parents over the past 28 months. The vast majority of those people were opposed to the testing of 10-year-old children.'
Hundreds? I do not know of one such formal public meeting in Belfast, Down or Antrim.
It all depends who you have been talking to Mrs Ruane! You have not talked to a broad spectrum just your own supporters. As evidenced by surveys, comments on radio, tv, newspaper articles, blogs and letters there is widespread public support for some form of academic selection.
The usual tactics employed, avoiding answering the question and selective truth.
Posted by TJ McClean | 18.09.09, 11:56 GMT