Sinn Féin Paper to Assembly Education Committee June 18th 2008

Post-primary Transfer

Sinn Féin supports the Education Minister’s Proposals on Post-Primary Transfer as tabled at the Executive meeting of May 15 th. We regret that the other parties did not take the opportunity this presented to debate the proposals in a constructive and mature manner. Such a discussion would allow the process to unfold and give greater reassurance to parents, pupils and educationalist that education is at the centre of the debate rather than petty party squabbles.

Despite the areas of disagreement we believe there are many more common areas of agreement based on a number of fundamental principles that are required to build a modern education system;

• A system which promotes excellence, both academically and vocationally;
• A system which should not give up on any children. 

While there is educational excellence in all our schools the system is failing too many of our young people. There are educational and equality arguments and economic realities that demand changes to the education system. It is not an option to do nothing. We cannot support a system of educational apartheid.

All of the teaching unions, most educationalists, all of the churches and many within the business community recognise the need to bring about far reaching reform of the education system.

 There are a number of key drivers of change;

• The need to build an education system which meets the needs of all children and young people throughout their educational journey;
• The need to raise tackle numbers leaving schools without literacy and numeracy skills;
• Demographic decline (50,000 down);
• The need to deliver expanded choices at 14 (and post-16) under the new Entitlement Framework.

There are currently 50,000 empty school desks (18,000 in the post-primary sector - increasing to 30,000 over the next 7 years). The impact of this is being felt almost exclusively in non-grammar schools and while many grammar are now becoming de facto all-ability schools. There are 12,000 young people leaving school each year without the skills they need (particularly in literacy and numeracy). This has a huge social and economic cost.  We also need to expand provision at 14 to meet the requirement to offer 24 courses at 14 and 27 post 16 (The Entitlement Framework). 

Area Based Planning

To ensure the most effective and efficient structure of schools to facilitate transfer at 11 based on criteria other than ability and of election at 14. We believe Area Based Planning groups involving all the educational sectors are the way forward and should be given support and assistance by the Assembly Education committee.

Educational Skills Authority

To build and coordinate a 21st century educational system a modern delivery body is required. Sinn Féin welcome the proposal from the Minister in regards to the RPA within education and the formation of a single Educational Skills Authority.