In answer to a written Assembly question
from MLA Simon Hamilton, the minister said
"the exact nature, and therefore cost, of that
change cannot be accurately predicted", until
different areas have agreed the mechanism
they wish to follow.
Ms Ruane has said academic selection will
end in 2008 with pupils deciding their next
move at the age of 14 (and schools in various
localities deciding amongst themselves exactly
how this will happen and whether or not
intermediary schools, for 11 to 14 are set up).
Some MLAs criticised the lack of detail in
her plans. Others have simply opposed the
scrapping of selection.
Strangford MLA, Mr Hamilton said the minister's
vision was "short-sighted" and it was
worrying that she had "failed to consider even
the most elementary of matters" – namely
cost.
He said: "She has given no consideration to
the current legislation, which protects academic
selection.
"No consideration to what happens between
2009 and 2011 (the end of the 11-plus and the
timetable for her new system to begin]. No
consideration to the need to achieve crossparty
consensus in the Assembly chamber for
her proposals.
"No consideration at all for views of parents
and teachers, including the 64 per cent of parents
and 62 per cent of teachers who responded
to the Department of Education's own
household survey demanding the retention of
academic selection.
"And now she has also, by her own admission,
given no detailed consideration to the
inevitable cost that an overhaul of the scale
she proposes would bring about. This is fiscal
irresponsibility of the worst kind."
Mr Hamilton asked the minister "to detail
the analysis her department has carried out on
the cost impact of the transfer procedures"
announced to the Assembly on December 4.
She responded: "Implementation of the
vision for new post-primary arrangements outlined
on December 4, 2007 will require a certain
amount of structural change, though the
exact nature, and therefore cost, of that
change cannot be accurately predicted until
area planning mechanisms are operational.
"The important point is that structural
reform is required in any case due to the number
of surplus places that exist across the
schools' estate, and it makes sense to design
flexible new transfer arrangements that make
full use of spare capacity in the first instance,
and which are in harmony with curriculum
reform and delivery of the Entitlement
Framework."
Mr Hamilton said: "Surely the cost of any
alterations to the education system should be
a central factor in the decision making
process.
"Yet, the minister is so blinded by her ideology
and driven by her dogma that she hasn't
given the cost a second thought. Northern
Ireland's ratepayers deserve to know how
much of their hard earned money would be
wasted on the minister's proposals, but
Caitriona Ruane doesn't seem to care about
cost so long as she gets her way."