Transfer Test
Stormont’s education fiasco
Only six days out from the sitting of a post-primary transfer test - in the context of rising Covid infections and staff threatening to refuse to work in unsafe conditions - the Stormont Executive finally made the decision to close schools until after the February half-term, forcing the postponement of the tests. Remote learning must be made effective for all students through the provision of broadband access and all necessary equipment.
Scrap the transfer tests!
The announcement that the primary-secondary school transfer tests will proceed in the autumn is a source of anxiety for parents and pupils alike. School closures as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic have meant that the same level of preparation and teaching resources will not be available to those pupils scheduled to sit the tests. This is obviously a serious cause for concern, as the selection of secondary education is a major life event for young people.