Ulster Unionist Party Leader Jon Burrows MLA has called for the education debate in Northern Ireland to shift away from the transfer test and towards the brain drain and the lack of properly valued vocational pathways, while defending parents' right to choose their child's school.

Jon Burrows said:

“I believe, and my party believes, that pupils should have the right to choose which school they attend. Academic selection has its flaws, but in the absence of a viable alternative, such as selection at 14, it remains the only show in town.

“The debate should instead focus on two of the greatest challenges facing Northern Ireland. First, we must tackle the brain drain by ensuring that we have enough academic places, apprenticeships and employment opportunities here for our young people, so they can fulfil their potential without having to leave Northern Ireland.

“Second, we must create attractive, properly funded and highly valued vocational pathways, beginning in secondary school and leading into high-quality apprenticeships. Academic and vocational education should be held in equal esteem. That is how we give every young person a route suited to their talents, while building the skills our economy needs to prosper.

“Too much time is spent arguing about the transfer test, while too little attention is paid to the narrowing of options at Key Stages 4 and 5 and to what happens to young people beyond the school gates.

“We also need to reframe the debate and stop presenting entry to grammar school as the holy grail. Northern Ireland has excellent schools across every sector, and a child’s worth, or future potential, should never be judged by the school they attend.”