A Geneva-based children’s rights committee said it supported scrapping the 11-plus transfer test in Northern Ireland in the name of young people’s rights.

In a report published on Friday – which lashed Britain for failing to meet child protection standards – the body also attacked what it branded a “two-tier” education system in Ulster.

But Sir Ken Bloomfield, who is leading a rebellion by 30 grammar schools against Ms Ruane’s proposals, dismissed the UN’s view as irrelevant.

The chairman of the Association for Quality Education has vowed the grammars will use their own exam to determine pupil entry from next year – despite repeated warnings from Ms Ruane of costly legal challenges from parents.

He said: “The UN is full of windy aspirations and Ms Ruane is now using every means possible to try and add substance to her plans.

“We are not impressed by pupils not being told how they are going to transfer and are sure of our legal position in pressing on with our own test.”

And one of the many frustrated school principals across Ulster added that any UN comment on the issue should be ignored.

David McCartney, head of Brooklands Primary in Dundonald, said: “The UN may recognise Ms Ruane’s proposals, but that’s completely irrelevant in Northern Ireland.

“At the minute what matters is that parents, teachers and pupils are in limbo without concrete confirmation from the minister on what form academic selection will take.”

With the new school term well under way, children in P6 still do not know how they will transfer to post-primary after the 11-plus test is scrapped later this year.

And hope that the matter will be resolved has been dashed as the Stormont stalemate grinds on, without an Executive meeting since June.

Ms Ruane needs cross-community support in the Assembly to introduce her legislation – which has already been rejected by unionists.

The Sinn Fein minister said: “This report from the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child recognises that our education system is two- tiered and recommends the ending of selection to ensure that all children are included in admission arrangements in post-primary schools.

“I welcome this recommendation and I continue to work for an education system in the north of Ireland which does not judge 10 and 11-year-olds.