Dump unfair 11+
Sinn Féin Assembly Education spokesperson Barry McElduff said
this week that the marketplace or selective mechanisms have no
place in the future development of the education system.
``The introduction of marketplace ideology into our schools by the
last Tory government and the continuation of a Conservative
approach to education by the current British Labour government
have no place in the development of an inclusive education system
in the north of Ireland,'' he said.
``The role of selection and in particular of the 11+ here has been
detrimental. As a society we need to ask ourselves what outcomes
we what we want from our education system. Do we want an
education that equips our young people with the personal skills
needed to contribute and participate fully in an inclusive
society.
``The widespread belief is that the selection process, which in
reality is a de-selection process, has failed. We now need to
critically analyse the type of thinking behind the selective
models being suggested by a Labour government in Britain that
owes much to Thatcherite ideology and develop an education system
that best suits our needs for the next half century.
``For 13 years now our schools have borne the brunt of educational
reforms and initiatives, some of which were justified. Others,
however, have contributed to concentrating the weight of
socio-economic and educational need in secondary schools and
entrenching a two-tier education system.''
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