PRESS STATEMENT – PRESS STATEMENT – PRESS STATEMENT

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SDLP MLA BURNS: EDUCATION MINISTER'S LACK OF CLARITY GIVES SCHOOLS NO OTHER OPTION

SDLP MLA for South Antrim Thomas Burns has that he is not surprised that schools are beginning to make their own transfer test arrangements given the lack of clarity on the issue from the Minister for Education.

Commenting on the statement from Lumen Christi College in Derry that it intends to use its own admission test Mr Burns said, ‘Given the lack of clarity from the Minister for Education on the transfer of pupils from primary to post-primary schools it is not surprising that schools are taking the matter into their own hands.

‘Parents, pupils, and schools have been seeking clarification on the transfer process but that has not been forthcoming. The information gap which has emerged has caused great anxiety in the education community given the relatively short time frame involved.

‘The decision by Lumen Christi College to use its own mechanism for admissions is hardly surprising under these circumstances and only underlines the need for the situation to be clarified without any further delay. The Department of Education’s response to the Lumen Christi move that there is plenty of time remaining does not help to reassure parents, pupils, or schools.'
 

ENDS