Delivering education from Sinn Fein tyranny is a top priority - Allister
19 April 2011
Statement by TUV Leader Jim Allister:-
“Few things matter more for the future of Northern Ireland than the education of our children. Yet our world class education system that has served us so well has been thrown into utter chaos by Sinn Fein. In simple terms it has been RUANED.
“Catriona Ruane, the Sinn Fein Education Minister, was gifted the opportunity to undermine our highly successful education system through the foolish actions of those unionists prepared to work a system that allows a Minister to do exactly as he/she wants. In Ruane’s case, she ignored the wishes of the overwhelming number of parents that want to see some form of academic selection retained.
“The chaos deliberately brought to education is proof in itself of the TUV contention that Sinn Fein has no interest in bringing good government to Northern Ireland, but sees government as another vehicle by which to destabilise this part of the UK.
“TUV supports academic selection where that suits the abilities of children who wish to avail of it. We also believe that parents are entitled to have their children prepared accordingly in primary school. For those children who do not take the academic route there must be equal consideration and secondary education funded adequately to make the most of their talents.
“There must be no funding hierarchy whereby secondary schools are disadvantaged. Northern Ireland must value all of its children but in order to do this we must facilitate the academic potential of some – rather than thwart it – and utilise and enhance the different talents of others. TUV believes in choice, not prescription.
MANIFESTO 2011
“We would not disturb the Dickson Plan in the areas where it successfully operates.
“We are concerned at the disparity in pre-school provision, noting the frequent disadvantage in rural areas and the inequality in opportunity for many local children in consequence of the socio-economic priorities set by the minister.
“TUV rejects the Education and Skills Authority (ESA) as we believe this will have disastrous consequences for education. Power will be concentrated in the hands of the so-called “progressives” who have driven the anti-transfer and anti academic agenda.
“The audacity of Sinn Fein in misusing the education portfolio to lavish scarce resources to promote Irish medium education knows no bounds, nor has it been curbed by those deluded unionists who claim they “control Stormont”. As controlled schools are closed, Preparatories strangled and others starved of funds, Ruane has advanced her aggressive pro-Irish agenda at all costs. This educational dictatorship must end. Irish should be a language available for study, where wanted, but should not be a state funded medium for teaching.
“TUV wants to see Sinn Fein out of Education and out of all Ministerial Offices.
“Some unionists like to pretend that they have “put manners” on Sinn Fein. Yet parents know that the havoc caused in Education by Ruane is proof of the falsity of that claim.
“TUV seeks to restore balance in Education believing that children come before dogma. Parental choice not ministerial tyranny must be restored as the touchstone for progress.”
