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Friday, 13 November 2009

Pupil transfer tests 'wrong' - SF

Sinn Fein has stuck by its anti-selection position when it comes to the transfer of pupils from primary to secondary education.

The first stage of tests is held by Grammar schools across Northern Ireland on Saturday.

Around 7,000 pupils will sit the tests which have been compiled by the Association of Quality Education to replace the now defunct 11 plus.

Next Saturday, a consortium of Catholic Grammar Schools will introduce their test option to around 6,000 pupils.

'Unjust'

Sinn Fein has insisted the testing of 10 and 11-year-olds has no proven educational benefit and presents numerous educational and social disadvantages.

"I would call on all those who are genuinely opposed to the socially unjust practice of academic selection to recommit themselves to ending it, not by accommodating further testing on the false promise of 'give us more time and we will change'", the party's Education spokesman John O'Dowd said.

"The facts are the grammar lobby has had 50 years to change and they have continually held onto their unjust system."

"I would also like to pay tribute to the silent majority, the pupils who will not be sitting a test, who will transferring into a Post primary school which teaches the exact same curriculum as Grammar and offers access to the same level of qualifications as grammar schools."

The Ulster Teachers' Union has warned those behind the tests to brace themselves for the "fall-out" of this year's exams.

Spokeswoman Avril Callaghan-Hall said: "There's probably mixed attitudes to it.

"My concern is that we provide the best possible education for all our young people and I don't think testing them at the age of 10 or 11 is the way to do that."

This year the pupils will sit the tests in grammar schools, instead of their own primary schools.

But Belfast Royal Academy head teacher Moore Dixon said staff had done their best to ensure the day runs smoothly.

"In each room, there will be children from the same primary school, so they'll have familiar faces around them. Provided there are other children from their primary school, they'll all be with ones they know," he explained.

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9 Comments

At 17:53 on 17 November 2009, lorna wrote:

Seamus from your comment my grandson is a have not, a child of low income. I know with encouragement he can better himself but you forget many children in North of Ireland is not encouraged to go for an education by their parents when they are at school. Abolishing the 11 plus will not change that

At 21:04 on 16 November 2009, seamas wrote:

Lorna. The 11 plus wasn’t about orange and green. It was about haves and have nots. The grammar sector want to keep an exclusive system that creams off the more able pupils for itself. Unfortunately too often that means children whose parents can afford private tutors or access to better educational tools. This keeps education in the hands of a privileged minority. Children from poorer backgrounds, both financially and educationally, are much more likely to be excluded. This is particularly true for children from working class protestant areas. Catholic grammars don’t charge fees so simply passing the old test allowed a working class catholic to enter a catholic grammar. Many of the larger protestant grammars however charge large fees so even if a child passed the test he still couldn't access the grammar system if his parents couldn't afford the fees. As for the Orangemen marching, I have no problem commemorating the Battle of the Boyne. After all that’s my history too. So long as its not done to humiliate or dominate.

At 13:11 on 16 November 2009, lorna wrote:

Seamus by the time your daughter and my grandson get to Stormont there will be a united Ireland and the Orangemen will be free to walk down any street in Northern Ireland. My grandson has not been taught about the differance of religion and know no policits only his mum had to pay for tests others got free. My problem with the Education minister is she thinks because the Unionists have had the 11 plus its wrong. If the Grammar schools are best equpped to teach the elite let them select and not downgrade the best form of education .

At 00:55 on 16 November 2009, MARSEY wrote:

I feel so sorry for children today - test after test. Let these children have a childhood they are all grown up way before their time. Parents wanting to keep up with the jones's at their childrens expense. With things the way they are a oxford or cambridge education would hardly even get you a job at m&s in the future any way. Give the kids a break, snobbery is alive and well in n.ireland!

At 20:04 on 15 November 2009, seamas wrote:

Lorna. I know that you’re not kindly disposed to a SF minister for “national/political” reasons but on this issue she is right. The 11 plus helps perpetuate the two tiered education system which sees grammar schools cream off the best pupils at the expense of the rest. Why should we accept a second class education for our children? Why should our primary schools devote so much time to a test which most of the kids will not pass? Good luck to your grandson anyway. Lets hope he’s standing up at Stormont one day arguing with my daughter about a United Ireland.

At 17:18 on 15 November 2009, lorna wrote:

My grandson sat the test for the local Grammar school. According to his mum he was not at all stressed I only wish it had been the 11plus instead of this never tried before tests they have to sit now. I think its the parents who get stressed at this time. We will know by the results if he is able for the Grammar school and abide by the result. Even at Comprehensive schools they would have to sit tests at 11 when they first enter the school so what is this all about ?

At 19:39 on 14 November 2009, seamas wrote:

If one hundred children apply to the local comprehensive school they will all get in. If they apply to the local grammar only ten will get in, the ten most academically gifted. How does the grammar school know who those ten are? The state provided a free selection service for the grammar school called the 11 plus test. That’s all the 11 plus was a free selection service for grammar schools. It added nothing to the comprehensive schools. It did nothing for the 90 other children except deflect their teachers from teaching them while they prepared some of their class mates for the test.