Mid Ulster councillor voices alarm over delays in post-primary school admissions
Mid Ulster Councillor Gael Gildernew has highlighted the plight of pupils transitioning to post-primary education, who have been left in limbo as they don’t know what school they will be joining in September.
In correspondence to the council, Education Minister, Paul Givan acknowledged that not all pupils had secured places at post-primary level at this late stage.
He wrote in correspondence dated June 17: “Thank you for your email of May 29 regarding post-primary school places and your request for a meeting to discuss local capacity, admissions pressures, transport provision and planning for future demand in the Clogher Valley DEA.
“I can advise that the Education Authority (EA) continues to work actively with families in the Mid Ulster area to secure placements for all pupils ahead of the new school year.
“While a small number of pupils remain unplaced, this number has reduced since the conclusion of the admissions process and a range of options, including alternative placements and appeals, are being progressed.
“Given the operational nature of the issues raised, I consider that these matters would be best explored in detail in the first instance by officials.
“I have therefore asked my officials to arrange to meet with Mid Ulster District Council, and have asked that representatives from EA and the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools are also in attendance.
“This engagement will provide an opportunity to consider the specific concerns raised by Council, including local capacity pressures, admissions outcomes, transport issues and longer-term planning for the area.
“My officials will be in contact shortly to make the necessary arrangements.”
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Speaking at the latest council meeting, Cllr Gildernew (Sinn Féin) expressed alarm at the delay in allocating school places.
“In relation to the response to my request for a meeting regarding the children without post-primary school places, I am glad to see a timely response on that,” she said.
“However, I still feel this needs to be dealt with urgently. We still have a number of 11-year-olds who have now missed their settling-in days in their new schools. They have missed meeting their new classmates and have no idea what uniform to purchase.
“These children need to know which school they will be attending, and we then need to work towards proper planning for places so that this does not reoccur next year.”