Ruane Must Listen To Assembly

The Northern Ireland Assembly has supported a UUP Motion on extending the life of the 11+ by 3 years. The Party's Education Spokesperson, Basil McCrea, has now called on the Minister to implement the Motion, as she is required to do by the Ministerial Code.

A majority in the Northern Ireland Assembly voted in support of the Ulster Unionist motion to give certainty to Primary 6 pupils, their parents and teachers. While the Minister has presided over shameful chaos in our education system, the UUP has now offered a pragmatic way forward. At this late stage, with the Minister abandoning pupils, parents and teachers, the UUP motion now offers clarity - extend the 11+ for a 3 year period. We all know that the 11+ is a far from perfect test, but right now it offers the best way forward.

Whatever the debates, whatever the disputes that have surrounded education in general and post-primary transfer in particular since May 2007, one thing cannot be denied. This deep unease, to quote the churches' statement, has occurred under this Education Minister. It has happened on her watch. It is she who presides over an education system in which the parents and teachers of Year 6 children have been condemned to - in the words of last week's statement from the 4 churches - 'deep unease', having no idea of how their children will transfer to post-primary

Being Education Minister in any administration is a hefty, weighty responsibility. The hopes, aspirations and futures of children, families and - to some extent - a whole society rest on the shoulders of an Education Minister. The dictum, 'first, do no harm', should therefore be impressed on the heart and mind of any Education Minister. The post is not meant to be an opportunity to act out the fantasies of hard left student politics or to play at being a hand-me-down Che Guevara. Teachers and parents of Year 6 children want - and need - certainty about the post-primary transfer procedure their children will face. It is the duty and responsibility of the Education Minister to deliver that certainty.

The Minister has failed in her duty and responsibilities towards Year 6 children, their parents and teachers. Because she is Education Minister, the buck stops with her. She is responsible for the chaos that now looms. Even at this late hour, however, she retains the means of delivering our education system from this chaos. She can set aside her ideological prejudices, put the welfare of children first and extend the life of the present transfer test by 3 years".

I now expect the Minister to abide by the Pledge of Office, which requires her to "to support, and to act in accordance with, all decisions of the Executive Committee and Assembly" (Pledge of Office 1.4 (f)). The Assembly has backed the UUP motion, requiring that the 11+ be kept in place for 3 years until a replacement is introduced. Under the Pledge of Office, the Minister must 'act in accordance' with this decision. This is her opportunity to restore clarity and sanity to our schools. It is an opportunity she must take.