Sinn Fein’s anti-selection Dogma drives everything in Education – Allister
02 January 2013
Commenting on a recent reply he received to an Assembly Question from John O’Dowd, TUV Leader Jim Allister has said every strand of Sinn Fein policy in education is driven relentlessly by its anti academic selection agenda.
“Be it area planning, the entitlement framework, funding formula changes, or ESA, it is all designed to end academic selection. Already the curriculum is anti-selection, being designed to obstruct testing, but now on top O’Dowd has a raft of policies deployed for the same purpose, the destruction of the grammar schools.
“In this answer O’Dowd admits everything is choreographed towards the same end, with area planning, in particular, seen as a major tool in his destructive hands. Those MLAs who are supposed supporters of academic selection and the grammar schools should re-examine why they are helping Sinn Fein towards their goal by backing ESA and all that flows from it.
“Under devolution Sinn Fein has made destruction of our education system its priority and during their watch they’ve taken every opportunity to attack the grammar schools, with ESA and area planning their key weapons.”
Mr Allister’s Q & A are as follows:-
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Question: To ask the Minister of Education given that he affirmed in the Irish News on 11 October 2012 that the end of academic selection remains his Department's goal, and that he has stated that Area Planning is taking us to 'a different place', how he anticipates that Area Planning will aid the attainment of the goal of ending academic selection. Answer: My Department is taking forward a range of reforms which together will ensure that our education system is fit for purpose in a rapidly changing modern world. Reform is needed to address the changing school population; to work within tight budget constraints; to ensure the curriculum meets the needs of our economy; and to ensure that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
The range of reforms I have set in motion, including area planning, the entitlement framework, the review of the common funding formula and the establishment of the Education and Skills Authority, will all make a contribution to moving our education system forward and make it a truly world class system.
It is not the stated purpose of area planning, or indeed of any of these reforms individually, to bring academic selection to an end – but in this changing educational landscape academic selection will become increasingly irrelevant. |
