9th October 2020
INTO remains deeply concerned by the stance of the Minister of Education with regard academic selection at 11.
Given the ongoing speculation around the need for a circuit breaker, whether at Hallowe’en or later which in reality must include schools, surely common sense would dictate the abandonment of the transfer test.
INTO Northern Committee Chairperson, Caroline McCarthy, stated,
‘The significant escalation that we are facing in Covid-19 cases being currently experienced is leading to sporadic school closures, whole classes and year groups being sent home to self-isolate, isolating bubbles, and personal or family illness. It is against this background that 10 and 11-year-old children are being expected to prepare for what will be the first of several high stakes examinations over the course of their school career.’
This projected uncertainty does not afford the children in P7 the security they need and most importantly equality of opportunity.
Mrs McCarthy appealed to the Education Minister, and the Grammar sector to review the decisions that they have taken with regard to these tests going ahead during an escalating pandemic.
‘Like the grinch who stole Christmas, the Education Minister and those who advocate for this unfair system to continue, are content for children as young as 10 to spend the last weeks of December and most of January fretting about these upcoming tests. This total lack of regard for the needs, mental health and wellbeing of children is simply staggering.’
Mrs McCarthy continued,
‘When this matter has been raised by the Education Committee it was dismissed by the Minister as a “hobby horse”. INTO regard this as dismissive of the legitimate concerns being raised and call for him to retract these comments.
The selection process is not fundamentally a primary school issue but the wellbeing of the children in their care is. The lack of forward planning by DE and the acknowledgement of the inevitable continuation of the impact of COVID-19 fails not only the P7 children but also the schools that support them both now and in the future. The only sensible and humane decision that can be taken now is to abandon this outdated educational anomaly.’