WHEN deciding what to analyse in education, I sometimes apply the can of worms test.
Will raising a `local' issue prompt others elsewhere to highlight the same problem affecting them?
I know that by examining transfer issues in west Belfast that can has been cracked open and worms are wriggling forth.
And in a bid to encourage others to avoid picking up the phone, be assured that I very much understand children everywhere are struggling to find post-primary places.
Some of the problems are of the system's making, but some are of schools' and parents'.
The main issues/complaints in the west are:
:: area planning wiped out hundreds of places for girls
:: St Dominic's, a grammar, was awarded extra places, while the non-grammar St Genevieve's was not
:: There are empty desks in the area, yet St Dominic's was given more
:: St Louise's only published entrance criteria the day before the application deadline
:: There are two non-selective schools in the area that have places, but some parents want to avoid them
Saying parents are frustrated is understating it. There is a great deal of hurt and confusion.
It absolutely did not help that St Louise's only confirmed it was taking boys one day before the deadline for applications. This was long after many applied thinking it was still a girls' school.
The changes were always to be in place for September. They were much talked about but a lack of confirmation caused uncertainty.
Advertising changes in advance might not have done anything to ease the pressure on St Genevieve's, but may have encouraged parents to list other Catholic schools on their transfer forms.
Before now, there was a choice of three non-selective girls schools and plenty of places.
There is also a lot of head scratching at the perceived favouritism shown to St Dominic's. Why was it granted 25 extra places?
It could be argued that expanding St Dominic's will help St Genevieve's, if you accept that those seeking single-sex, Catholic education would list St Dominic's first and St Genevieve's second.
But parents, principals and unions see it as unfair. The system is already set up to meet the desires of the grammar sector and being granted further places, they say, makes the situation worse.
