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Transfer campaign: Public opinion seems to be causing a shift within Sinn Fein
Friday, 4 December 2009
It is a major step forward that Sinn Fein’s John O’Dowd will be among the politicians receiving our petitions tomorrow.
Many will hope that his presence alongside the other education committee members on the steps of Parliament Buildings is the first sign of a thawing of frosty relations between his party and the others on this issue.
His public acknowledgement of the strong public support for our campaign lies in stark contrast to his early dismissal of all-party talks on school transfer as “a publicity stunt”.
His attendance also follows just days after fellow Sinn Fein MLA Jennifer McCann said Martin McGuinness was wrong to scrap the 11-plus tests without a replacement in place.
With an election looming, it makes sense that Sinn Fein should rethink its policy on transfer. Just over a year ago Education Minister Caitriona Ruane came under fire from parents and teachers during a debate on future school transfer arrangements in the Sinn Fein heartland of west Belfast. She was criticised by parents of children now in P7 during the event at St Mary's University College on the Falls Road.
Since then, the failure to reach political consensus has led to the establishment of unregulated school entrance exams which have done nothing to tackle the inequality and underachievement the minister claims is blighting our education system.
Some primary schools helped children to prepare for the first tests this year, some did not. More well-off families could afford coaching, others could not. Some pupils are sitting a total of five exam papers, some sat two, some sat none. Children also had to sit the tests in unfamiliar grammar schools on Saturday mornings.
In the middle of the confusion and chaos for schools and families, the minister has simply continued to state that she has issued Transfer 2010 guidance for schools which urges them to use non-academic admissions criteria. The fact this it is being ignored by 68 grammar schools and is not legally binding guidance is just a side issue.
She has sometimes appeared gleeful when warning of the legal challenges that schools could face — despite thousands of children being caught up in the middle of the new testing arrangements.
It’s clear to see that Sinn Fein hopes that the tests will be a disaster. The party hoped that schools wouldn’t sign up for them — but they did; they hoped parents wouldn’t register their children for them — 13,700 registrations were received, and now they are waiting for the possible legal fallout from disgruntled parents.
Wouldn’t it be so much better for Sinn Fein to join with the other parties to find a better way? There can be no harm in sitting down together and attempting to find common ground.
The first step should be to look again at the proposal put forward by educationalists from a range of school types last year which proposed moving academic selection to being an option at age 14.
If school leaders on the ground with very different opinions on selection can come to an agreement, why can’t our politicians?
Ten thousand people are saying that they must sort this out - and soon. Maybe, at last, Sinn Fein is starting to listen.
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Surely Democracy and the future of our children should be the top priority not petty local politics - maybe there is hope on the horizon and all the politicians are starting to behave like professional adults!
Posted by Claire | 06.12.09, 19:12 GMT
At last the Belfast Telegraph have revealed their education policy!
According to Kathryn Torney, "
The first step should be to look again at the proposal put forward by educationalists from a range of school types last year which proposed moving academic selection to being an option at age 14." What nonsense.
As TJ McClean points out the little rift within Sinn Fein isn't a rejection of their policy merely a cynical pre-election strategy designed to stop a hemorrhage of votes. The educationalists meantime carry on unhindered and unaccountable. Any parent in favour of academic selection will find no friends at the Belfast Telegraph.
Posted by Parental Alliance for Choice in Education | 06.12.09, 12:45 GMT
Sinn Fein are at heart acknowlwdged marxists - there is no compromise within that idealogy. hence the destruction of our education system for something... well that's the problem - what?
Posted by Seamus Feeney | 06.12.09, 12:41 GMT
For years Sinn Fein accused the Unionists of intransigence. Now look at them!
As if scrapping a system which consistently produced the highest academic scores in the British Isles were not enough, they now turn the public against them by refusing to even discuss an alternative system.
At least they have achieved "unity" of a kind - unfortunately for them, it is the people of Northern Ireland uniting against Sinn Fein1
Posted by Centaur | 05.12.09, 17:24 GMT
Totally agree TJ.
The Minister offered a compromise; this was rejected by DUP and Grammar schools. The 'Sit down sort it out campaign' is trying to pressurize the Department of Education to re-instate the offered compromise; in effect turn back the clock; this will not and should not happen!
The last 11+ system was, remember, a 'short term compromise' inherited from the 1970s.
Academic selection has been consigned to the dustbin of history, what we are seeing is the final death rattle of the establishment attempting to retain their advantaged place in society. There is simply no need or justification for schools ‘picking’ who walks through their doors, the curriculum is the same, the assessments are the same; the only reason must concern social selection and middle classes keeping their precious ones away from poorer kids!
Posted by Exasperated | 04.12.09, 20:41 GMT
they have'nt gone away you know! we have an end to bombs and bullets but you can still wreck this sorry state by bad ideas and poor practice and crazy schemes. maybe they have a plan?????
Posted by peter | 04.12.09, 17:37 GMT
Does it matter - nationalist voters have no choice - both SDLP and Sinn Fein want to end Grammar schools and any selection process. Those of us who wish to send children to Catholic Grammar schools may just have to vote Alliance or Unionist to protect the right of these schools to even exist in the current system.
Posted by Concerned Parent | 04.12.09, 15:34 GMT
Hey Sinn Fein have not moved from their position. There has been no admission, no conceding and definitely no apologising.
They are 'sticking to their guns' so to speak! So don't build up false hopes.
Posted by T J McClean | 04.12.09, 14:19 GMT