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NICIE welcomes statement from the Commission for Catholic Education01/04/2009
NICIE has welcomed the recent statement issued by the Commission for Catholic Education, stating their position on academic selection.
The Commission announced this week that it will allow oversubscribed Catholic Grammar schools to set their own entrance exams to replace the abolished Transfer Test, which was sat by Primary Seven students for the last time in 2008.
However, the educational organisation also repeated its support for an end to all forms of academic selection by 2012.
NICIE released its own statement in response, saying: “NICIE was established to assist parents to access shared education based on an all ability intake without the need for any form of academic selection. Integrated colleges continue to demonstrate that a non-selective education works for all children.
“The Commission has made a strong statement and taken a courageous stand in the midst of what is fast becoming a confused and deregulated system. Our children will ultimately lose if such a situation is allowed to continue.
“We need to work as a matter of urgency towards an agreed solution for the sake of all our children. What is certain is that academic selection has no place in a modern educational landscape.
“We call upon our local politicians to set aside party differences and begin to have a serious engagement with educationalists about how together we can transform the education system to ensure that no child is left behind.”
