BY AILEEN MURPHY
The Education Minister Caitriona Ruane took the unusual step this week of contacting the 'Fermanagh Herald' directly in a move to try and reassure parents in the County about the future of education for their children.
The interview came in the wake of a turbulent debate during the Assembly's Education Committee on Thursday which has left the Executive facing the biggest crisis since its foundation.
Ms Ruane urged people here not to be taken in by 'sensationalist media' reports of the debate, and assured people academic selection is on the way out and that nothing can change this.
"What people need to understand is that there are 50,000 empty desks at schools here, and there are 12,000 children leaving school without English and Maths qualification and this is unacceptable. This is the reality of the situation and that is what we need to deal with," she explained.
Despite the fact the Minister appears to have made something of a 'u-turn' on her previous decision to wipe out academic selection from the end of this year, Ms Ruane insists her concession to allow a three year transitional period is in response to concerns raised during the consultation period.
"I don't believe in academic selection," she stated, "and I have made it clear that is my preferred option. However, I have listened to educationalists over the last few months and have agreed this way forward for the next three years."
The Minister explained how this will be a transitional period, during which some schools, if they choose, may use academic selection on a limited basis. "This will be an a declining basis," Ms Ruane explained. "50 percent of students can be chosen in this way in 2010, falling to 30 percent in 2011, and 20 percent in 2012. Come 2013 and there will be no academic admissions.
"Then children will change school at 11. This will be based on the 'Entitlement Criteria' which can vary between schools, but will came from a menu of criteria which includes if a child is the eldest or they have a sibling at the school; their geographical location, etc."
Turning to Fermanagh, the Education Minister explained the 'Entitlement Criteria' is designed to take account of issues regarding 'rurality'.
She also explained she had introduced further criteria to try and dispel the idea of a 'postcode lottery'.
"I have introduced social justice criteria, such as a quota of free school meal places which schools will have to meet. And, while each school can choose their own admission criteria from this list, it will be monitored by the Department."
From 2013, children will have to be able to choose from 24 subjects when they are 14 years of age, rising to 27 subjects being made available to students when they are 16. And, while the Education Minister envisages schools and colleges working together to provide this level of choice, there is no denying it will create problems for Fermanagh's rural secondary schools.
However, the Minister was not to be deterred: "Many rural schools are leading the way and they can provide this range of subjects. Schools are increasing innovative when it comes to providing this."
She accepted that Fermanagh was one of the areas which has been hit hardest by the demographic downturn and by the current process of academic selection: "This has to change. The current system is unfair, change is going to happen and I am going to manage that change," she insisted.
"The changes I have brought forward are for a much better, much fairer education system. And they are changes that are for the benefit of the children."
Despite facing opposition from most of her Assembly colleagues, the Education Minister is not for backing down: "Let's take it one step at a time. I am very disappointed with how the Executive responded to my proposals. But not changing is not an option. I am going to bring about changes and I would rather is was in an regulated manner than in an unregulated way."
Concluding, the Education Minister sought to reassure parents, and urged them to look at her proposals with an open mind: "I am sending a leaflet to every household explaining the changes, and people should look at it carefully.
"I met with the teachers' union and they have given me their support for these proposals, so, it's to have the churches and much of the business community understand there is a need for change.
"People need to be clear: I am ending academic selection. Not changing is not an option," she concluded.
