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Time right for action at last on education

Friday, 30 October 2009

The talks held between the Alliance Party, the DUP, the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP on education are now seemingly being held on a weekly basis.

They all claim to be sitting down to discuss a solution to the Transfer 2010 policy - even though it is outside of the Education Committee - claiming there is a 'cry for talks' to find a solution when, in fact, this is just a Bring Back the 11-Plus committee.

So can I ask the question: if they have to create another forum to have this discussion, what do they talk about on the Education Committee?

Are the parties not happy with Mervyn Storey's or Dominic Bradley's performance on the Education Committee? It baffles me why they have set up another forum to discuss something that has already been discussed.

Dominic Bradley's watery comments on the 11-Plus do not represent the vast majority of SDLP supporters.

Why will the SDLP not back the Minister of Education who, despite being a member of Sinn Fein, is in fact correct in what she is saying?

For too long we have talked about scrapping the 11-Plus. It is time to move on and move with the changes of Transfer 2010.

The time for talking has ended. For once, the SDLP should stop bowing to the unionist agenda and stand strong with Sinn FÃ©in and move forward for the sake of our children's education.

CONCERNED NATIONALIST

Rostrevor

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move on 14 is the age here 11 is to young move on

Posted by ray usa | 30.10.09, 14:50 GMT

What an empty letter. You proclaim an end to the 11 plus, fair enough but what system would you replace it with?

This is the stumbling block. SF do not have an acceptable solution.

Posted by MS | 30.10.09, 13:11 GMT

Why will the SDLP not back the Minister of Education?

Just a few ideas as you clearly have your head buried in the same sand pit as the rest of Sinn Fein.

Perhaps because she is acting as a totalitarian dictator rather than a democratically elected Assembly Minister.

Perhaps because the Minister is wrong.

And most importantly perhaps because their electorate do not want them to back her.

Roll on the next elections and let the Minister see what the people of South Down think of her performance to date.

Posted by Anne | 30.10.09, 10:17 GMT

CONCERNED NATIONALIST is deliberately trying to manipulate the debate and make it into a Unionist verses Nationalist argument. This is nonsense.
Many SDLP and indeed Sinn Fein voters support the retention of some form of academic selection transfer criteria. While some Unionists even support Mrs Ruane and her agenda for change.

Posted by T J McClean | 30.10.09, 09:34 GMT