THE RUANATOR WRITES....

I had a good chuckle at this nonsense written for the soaraway Newsletter today by IRA/Sinn Fein Education Gauleiter Caitriona Ruane aka The Ruanator. Here are the best bits..

" I have always said I am opposed to academic selection. Not because I am opposed to academic education, quite the opposite. We have many successes in our education system and I applaud these."

and then..

"After three years of post-primary education, at 14, the young person, in conjunction with parents, principals and careers advisors can decide which educational pathway they will follow – in much the same way as young people choose GCSEs now. This may be academic, vocational or both. For some children, this may involve a change of school, but this will be done on the basis of election not selection through testing."

Great nonsensical tripe from the Ruanator - but should she not stick to comedy and give up the pretence that she has the slightest clue about Education.

Comments

[Henry94]

Sinn Fein are the New Labour of political life in Ireland. They have been forced to accept the facts of life on economic policy but they want to use social policy to increase the power of the state and force their ideological agenda through.

It has cost Labour dearly in electoral support in Britain and it will do for Sinn Fein too once people understand what's going on.

It is a mild irony that of the two in the office of FM/DFM it is the Unionist Peter Robinson who wants to reduce the power of the crown and the Republican Martin McGuinness who wants to increase it.

There is an opportunity for the SDLP to speak for nationalists who want do not support SF's social radicalism.

[Dawkins]

David,

Tennis star Ruane is arguably not ideally placed to decide of education. However, which of the other ministers is expert on their respective ministries? I've always had difficulty with such mismatchings, not just in NI but in Britain too.

That said, I see nothing nonsensical in Caitriona's remarks, those you cite and these in particular:

[F]or the past year I have been engaged with teachers, headmasters, parents and children from across every education sector.

I have engaged in extensive fact-finding and had discussions and consultations with the widest possible range of people interested in education.

Care to, er, educate us?