End transfer chaos of postcode lottery [belfasttelegraph.co.uk]
- Published: 09 October 2010
This newspaper - backed up by thousands of parents - has repeatedly urged Education Minister, Caitriona Ruane, and her Executive colleagues to sort out the chaos surrounding the transfer procedure to second-level education.
Sadly, the issue remains unresolved and pupils and parents throughout the province will again begin the process of sitting selection tests in a few weeks time with all the attendant stress.
As we report today, pupils wishing to attend grammar schools in the province may well face disappointment depending - not on their grades or marks as should be the case - but on where they live. Essentially a postcode lottery could determine if they are admitted to the school of their choice. Some schools in Belfast only accepted pupils who achieved the highest grades or marks this year while others in places like Londonderry, Omagh and Armagh were willing to take pupils with much lower achievement.
Full Story: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
