Statement by Cllr Timothy Gaston, TUV Bannside
“The decision made by Education Minister Peter Weir to reverse the ban on allowing Primary Schools to prepare their pupils for the transfer tests is a welcome one.
“The overwhelming support from parents for their children to sit transfer tests means they have an expectation that primary schools prepare their children for it. Lifting the ban therefore makes sense and takes away the threat of action against the schools that was imposed under previous Sinn Fein Ministers.
“There is still much to be done – having unregulated tests by two competing bodies is not the best situation for parents and pupils. It is clear academic selection is the preferred choice by schools and parents, therefore it is here to stay. But we need to have one testing body, and it needs to be regulated.
“More work needs to be done.”