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Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott has said Education Minister Caitriona Ruane’s announcement concerning the future of education in Northern Ireland was made without Executive approval and without proper debate in the Assembly.

 

Mr Elliott said: “The decision taken by the Minister to scrap academic selection has been taken without any form of consultation with her fellow ministers or with other elected representatives. I understand that infact, her fellow ministers in the Executive only knew thirty minutes before her statement what she was going to say. Is this how democracy works? Actions like this by Caitriona Ruane do not allow for accountable government.”  

 

In her statement the Minister stated that in the future the key age for children moving school would be 14 instead of the current age of 11. Furthermore, the 11-plus examination will be scrapped after 2008. What will be introduced in its place in 2009, if anything, is yet to be made known by the Minster for Education and her department.

 

The Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA went on to say: “The announcements by the Minister not only show a lack of accountability and democratic government, but also highlight the apparent weaknesses in the negotiating skills of the DUP. I say this because in their manifesto following the St Andrews Agreement the DUP categorically stated that they had made “the retention of the transfer test a precondition for the return of devolution.” I believe that this issue of changes to education, like many other conditions for devolution laid down by the DUP, will be conveniently forgotten about as they continue their ‘unholy alliance’ with Sinn Fein. The Minister will have her way and the DUP will have misguided many Unionists who trusted their pledges.

 

“We in the Ulster Unionist party will be doing our utmost to explore every avenue with a view to protecting the interests of the public and having a first class education system for or children. We will scrutinize every decision taken by Caitriona Ruane and her department and we will make sure that she knows the people of Northern Ireland are watching her closely. We won’t take our eye of the ball like the DUP and allow Sinn Fein Ministers to ‘run-amok’. Protecting the interests of our children is pivotal to the future of Northern Ireland, and as defenders of family values we won’t let the public down.”