Education Minister addresses law students

The Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, has addressed over 100 law students at the University of Ulster on post-primary transfer.

Speaking to the students, who are studying the relationship between state and society, the Minister highlighted the benefits of the Department’s Transfer 2010 policy. She also answered their follow-up questions and enjoyed lively interaction with the students on various educational issues.

The Minister said: “The relationship between Government and society is so vital to our overall wellbeing with, for example, education a central aspect of the lives of almost every family. We have a responsibility to ensure that our children grow up with equality of opportunity and access to the quality education they all deserve.

“This is why I have ended state-sponsored academic selection in the north, stopping future generations of local children suffering the trauma of being labelled as failures at 10 or 11 and bringing us in line with most other European education systems.

“My Department’s Transfer 2010 policy sets out a clear framework for admissions criteria to be used by post-primary schools, which is based on equality. As part of a range of interconnected, progressive reforms, Transfer 2010 will also contribute to raising academic standards for all children, not just some who succeed in an out-dated and unfair test.

“Academic selection is academic rejection for the vast majority of our children.”