A top-ranking education minister in Northern Ireland continue to face some educational system challenges as she recently met with the education committee regarding her plans for transfer of primary school. She plans to extend selection in academic for at least three years before finally ending it. The plans would be an hour long test for numeracy and literacy to be held at a grammar school. Tough questions from the oppositionist group SDLP MLAs were heard during the meeting. The DUP also threatened to disagree with her plans.

Among those who had shown opposition to the plans of the education minister includes Sammy Wilson. He asked why the examination could not be standardized. Education committee attendees claimed if this problem could not be addressed the soonest possible time, it would surely give bad impressions to many students. Ms Ruane, however, said the office is ironing out some possible solutions to the standing opposition from the opposition group. She was pressed if ever she is still going to change her plans if there would be better proposals. During the meeting there were also three separate proposals that were already rejected. Another top official, First Minister Ian Paisley said the plan of Ruane to reform academic choices would not push through sans the executive report of the DUP. Ruane, however, revealed the recent meeting was not very successful as there were parties she called as “anti change” groups as far as education is concerned.

Earlier in December last year, the grammar schools had already criticized the education minister for her proposal saying that accepting it would make them “Christmas voting like turkeys.” In fact Frank Bunting of INTO, a union of teachers said, it was a pragmatic and sensible road and this is already out of the impasse.

In December, the education minister also lashed back at the grammar schools saying she was badly disappointed of these schools plan to assign a private company which shall undertake independent exams. Ruane who had accused these schools as elitist has also warned them that parents would sue them in courts if they pursue their plans. According to the Association for Quality Education (AQE) the exams in English and Math will be conducted in different venues in Northern Ireland.