Sinn Féin MLA Karen Mullan has welcomed a move by five schools in the Newry area to suspend academic selection for the coming year. 

The Sinn Fein education spokesperson said: 

“‘I welcome and commend the decision by Abbey CBS, Sacred Heart, Saint Colman’s, Our Lady’s and St Louis Kilkeel to suspend the use of unregulated tests for this coming academic year.

‘This is absolutely necessary to allow our teachers, school staff and of course children to prepare for a return to school, rather than the stress of a high-level exam. 

“Academic selection is wrong and unnecessary and puts undue pressure on children.

“Leading human rights and equality organisations, the Children’s Commissioner and leading trade unions all support the call to abandon academic selection altogether.

”I am hopeful that the other selective schools will follow the leadership and the example shown by the schools in Newry and scrap these unregulated transfer tests and instead focus on the task of preparing to return to schools when it is safe to do so.”