Ulster Unionist MLA Jo-Anne Dobson has encouraged all those who profess to be defenders of the Dickson Plan education system, including the DUP, to oppose the current Education Bill which is progressing through Stormont.
Upper Bann representative Mrs Dobson said: “The best way to ensure the long-term future of the hugely popular Dickson system in Craigavon is to stand shoulder to shoulder in resolute opposition of John O’Dowd’s fatally flawed plans to create a single education authority, known as ESA.
“For those of us who have long been part of the on-going fight to retain the Dickson system it is clear that through these plans Sinn Fein are attempting to impose their own crude ideological interpretation of education on the people of Northern Ireland. This Bill, if it succeeds, will see Sinn Fein take full control of the education of every single pupil, both now and into the future.
“Last October I and my Upper Bann Ulster Unionist colleague Sam Gardiner MLA voted against the Education Bill alongside other Ulster Unionist MLA’s when it came before the Assembly. However, the vote was lost because all of the other local MLA’s voted side by side with Sinn Fein in favour of the Bill. As a direct result of their support the Bill passed to the Committee stage – actions always have consequences.
“My message to those MLA’s who then go on profess to defend the Dickson Plan is clear - You cannot on the one hand profess to support the Dickson Plan, whilst on the other continue to lend your support to an educational proposal emanating from those who would wish to see it torn down. A proposal emanating from Sinn Fein.
Danny Kinahan MLA, Vice Chair of the Education Committee commented: “By voting against it, The Ulster Unionist Party has made crystal clear its opposition to Sinn Fein`s Education Bill, which unfortunately continues to receive the support of the DUP, SDLP and Alliance parties. As members of the Education Committee at Stormont Jo-Anne and I have and will continue to resolutely oppose it at every stage.
“Had others taken a similar principled stance, and voted against the Bill, the Dickson system would not be in as precarious a position as it is today.”
Mrs Dobson continued: At present, members of the Boards of Governors at our local schools are able to defend and support the Dickson system because many have a long association with it and indeed are themselves ‘children’ of the Dickson plan. However if this Sinn Fein Bill is passed at the Assembly, the entire structure of our education system as we know it will change.
“The current SELB, which has been supportive of the retention of the Dickson system will cease to exist. Power and control will be moved to the centre, to a single bureaucratic body headed up by a chairperson appointed by the Sinn Fein Minister. It would therefore be extremely unlikely that ESA will become a supporter of the Dickson system, quite the opposite. This must not be allowed to happen.
“Therefore, the best and most productive way to defend the Dickson Plan, in what could be descried as its ‘darkest hour,’ is to oppose this Bill. This would have the effect of thwarting John O’Dowd’s long-term plans – which amount to little more than 'comprehensivisation' by the back door.
“I urge those politicians who continue to back the Sinn Fein plan for the future education of our young people to look again at the Bill, to recognise the over-arching control over our schools and our pupils which it would hand to Sinn Fein and to join with The Ulster Unionist Party in opposing it.
“It is still not too late! For some years now I have called upon the Education Minister to put the interests of our pupils ahead of the interests of his own political party. I now encourage those from other political parties to do likewise.”