THE SDLP’s Derry Assembly representative Sinéad McLaughlin has slammed the decision not to provide practice papers for the new transfer test due to be sat by pupils this school year.
The Minister of Education Michelle McIlveen confirmed the decision in response to an Assembly Question tabled by Ms. McLaughlin.
In March of this year, it was announced that most grammar schools in the North of Ireland will now run a single common transfer test.
Said the Foyle MLA: “While the SDLP is opposed to any form of academic selection, it’s clear that no pupil should be disadvantaged by circumstances beyond their control.
“If practice papers are not provided this year, it will mean that primary six pupils will be left without the same support that other pupils before them received and I do not believe that is something we can stand over.
“The Minister of Education maintains that she has been advised the test will focus on the curriculum content at KS2, inferring that pupils should be able to prepare.
“But if this is the case, then why is it not possible to provide practice papers?
“As the new academic year begins, we should be doing everything possible to support our young people as they return to education, particularly for these pupils who have experienced huge disruption over the past couple of years.
“We should be pulling out all the stops to help them.
“I believe that we need to move towards removing academic selection completely from our education system.
“It places huge pressure on our young people from a very early age and we know the impact that this stress can cause them.
“However, without any action from the Department of Education to replace this appalling system, surely the least our young people deserve is to be properly prepared for the exams they will sit.
“I will be writing to the Education Minister to advocate that she reconsiders this approach and ensures pupils are provided with practice papers.”
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