Northern Ireland academic selection: Former Education Minister Peter Weir defends tests as pupils received AQE and GL results for last time before launch of SEAG replacement

Some 8,000 pupils received results for the Association for Quality Education (AQE) test over the weekend while some 7,000 sat the Post-Primary Transfer Consortium's (PPTC) GL Assessment test.

In 2007 Sinn Fein Education Minister Catrionia Ruane announced she was scrapping the state 11-plus test. However the two private systems emerged to replace it, the GL test, used by mainly Catholic grammars, and the AQE test used by the others.

The first unified test system, replacing them both, will be launched this November, run by Schools' Entrance Assessment Group (SEAG).

Sinn Fein, the SDLP and Alliance all oppose selection while unionists mainly defend it. Reports from QUB and Ulster University last year called for its abolition.

However former Stormont Education Minister Lord Peter Weir defended ongoing academic selection.

“This has been a very important weekend for families waiting for results, and my thoughts are with them," he told the News Letter. "Whatever the individual results, it is right that we thank and congratulate our P7 pupils for all their hard work in getting to this point. The results will naturally bring joy, disappointment and stress for families. Whatever the result, our system offers educational opportunities for all, irrespective of the pathway children go down, it is important this is realised and opportunities maximised.

"With over 8000 completing the AQE tests, and over 7000 the GL tests, it shows there is still strong buy-in for academic selection. I welcome the fact that from later this year the system will be simplified with a single combined test. I wish all our P7 all the bes5 for the future as they take the next step in their educational journey.

“It is sadly inevitable that with the annual results, comes the inevitable predictable attacks on academic selection by activists and some academics riding their hobby horse, many of whom have either benefited from the system or were educated in private schools in other jurisdictions. We don’t have a perfect system but such a proposed alternative approach would simply reduce opportunity and create social inequality by replacing selection by academic criteria by selection by ability to pay.”

Parents can research detailed statistics of prospective schools at: http://apps.education-ni.gov.uk/appinstitutes/default.aspx