In a heated Belfast Telegraph interview, the Minister harshly criticised the Assembly's education committee, committee chairman Sammy Wilson and the media, and reiterated her determination to create an education system she believes will meet the needs of all children.

P7 pupils are due to sit the last 11-plus exams this autumn and Ms Ruane intends to replace the test with a system of transfer at age 14.

The Minister claims that parents are not concerned about the time it is taking to finalise the new admissions criteria and instead claimed the media is scaremongering" around the issue.

Ms Ruane said: "Parents are confident that the changes will be in place in time for their children to transfer.

"There is no need to cause confusion when there isn't confusion."

The Minister said that her committee had not yet carried out its role to assist and advise her and she also claimed that DUP education spokesman and committee chairman Sammy Wilson had "played politics".

" I believe that the committee needs to take a more responsible role and I am willing to put the past behind me," she added.

Mr Wilson hit back today saying that he had met with scores of school principals and had contact with hundreds of parents who are all concerned about the lack of detail.

"The Minister really is not living in the real world if she says there is no concern about the timescale," he said.

"The media is only doing its job of holding the minister to account and asking her awkward questions if there is public concern. The stories in recent weeks have been perfectly legitimate.

"As for her criticism of the committee, the Minister should be open with us about how she has reached some of her policy decisions and then we will give her a hand.

"The Minister does not do herself any good by always pointing the finger at everyone else."

SDLP education spokesman Dominic Bradley is also a member of the education committee.

He said: "I think there is a huge amount of concern amongst the public. There is no doubt about that. The committee has had great difficulty in prising information from the Minister. I do not know whether she is unwilling to share information with the committee or if she is not sure herself what her intentions are.

"She needs to outline a very clear roadmap for her proposals so that teachers, parents and education providers are all very clear about where the process is going.

" I think everyone agrees that there is a need for change but this has to be well managed."

UUP education spokesman Basil McCrea said that the committee was still waiting for answers to questions they had put to the Minister.

He said: "How can we talk to the Minister when she will not provide us with information on issues?"

A debate is due to take place in the Assembly this afternoon. The motion calls on Ms Ruane to "bring details of her proposals immediately before the Executive and the Assembly, to ease the concerns of parents, pupils and teachers."