Ruane to seek 11-plus approval
EDUCATION Minister Caitriona Ruane has been accused of making no effort to reach consensus on the future of the 11-plus.
The allegation was made as it was reported the minister is to seek approval from her Executive colleagues on controversial proposals to replace the 11-plus.
It is thought Ms Ruane will hand ministers a paper at this week's Executive meeting on Thursday.
However, a DUP spokesman claimed their was nothing new in the minister's proposals.
"These are the same plans which members of the Executive has previously told her were unacceptable. She appears simply to have wasted the entire period since then," he said.
"The DUP has made a number of suggestions for resolving the matter in the context of the legal position that placing pupils on the basis of ability or aptitude cannot be abolished. The Minister has ignored them all."
The issue has been mired in controversy with Sinn Fein and the DUP unable to agree a deal on the issue. The latter have argued strongly for academic selection to be retained.
Ms Ruane has indicated the transfer test will be phased out over a three-year period.
The final 11-plus in its current format took place last year.
Parents and teachers have become increasingly frustrated with the ongoing logjam.
Increasing the uncertainty, a number of grammar schools have annnounced their intention to set their own selection tests.
A Sinn Fein spokesperson said: "It is now time to bring the discussion to a conclusion."
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Monday 28 May 2012
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