Logue calls on Education Minister to focus on addressing academic under-achievement

Education Minister Peter Weir has been called on to focus on addressing academic under-achievement.

The call comes from Sinn Fein’s education spokesperson in Derry, Cllr Patricia Logue.

She was speaking after Mr Weir revealed work aimed at finding a single academic selection process had started with the two testing organisations .

Cllr Logue said academic selection was “not the way forward.”

She added: “Rather than reinforcing academic selection the Minister needs to address the issue of educational underachievement.

“There is a whole body of educational research and evidence that demonstrates that academic selection is one of the contributors to poor educational outcomes and also leads to social divisions.

“Under Sinn Féin Ministers over the past decade we have seen year on year improvements in achievement and attainment levels.

“The Education Committee at the Assembly has just finalised the terms of reference for a Committee Inquiry that will run throughout 2017 that will focus on educational underachievement, including an examination of the role academic selection might play.”

Cllr Logue concluded: “Sinn Féin will continue to express our opposition to tests at the age of 10 and a half and 11 years of age.”