Education 'not serving business'

The education system is not giving businesses the workforce they need and it should be changed, Northern Ireland employers have said.

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has told the education minister it supports the Burns recommendations but has considerable concerns.

The Burns review of Northern Ireland's education system, set up by Education Minister Martin McGuinness, recommended an end to the controversial 11-plus transfer test.

The exam is a selection test for children in primary seven and determines to which type of school they will transfer.

High standard education

The CBI said Northern Ireland needed to change from being a low-skilled and low-productivity economy.

That will require a highly skilled, adaptable and creative workforce.

Businesses believe the current education system has not delivered that and needs reform.

The confederation said it is in favour of abolishing academic selection, but not until the time when all pupils can take advantage of a high quality, high standard education.

Until that is in place, it cautions against swift changes, and said that carried a high risk of failure and a threat to overall education standards.

The response to the Burns recommendations rejects the idea of formal collegiate clusters of schools. It said that would add a layer of expensive bureaucracy.

Martin McGuinness set up education review body

The Catholic secondary school principals have led the battle against the 11-plus and academic selection in recent years.

The principals said if secondary and grammar schools still exist, those from more affluent backgrounds will get into the most favoured schools.

The 300-page report by the Post Primary Review body, which was published last October, suggested the test be scrapped within two years.

Principals of the grammar schools have particularly criticised elements of the Burns plan, such as the collegiate system, which they said was an unworkable grouping of schools.

They also said the suggestion that parents will be able to match their children to the education best-suited to them was "fraudulent".

The consultation will continue until the end of June, and it is predicted that the Burns proposals will not be accepted in their entirety.