A PLAN by two leading Catholic grammar schools to stop 11-plus tests has won approval.
In a joint move, Omagh Christian Brothers' Grammar School and the town's Loreto Grammar will phase out selection entirely by 2020.
This is being seen as a major coup in the Catholic Church's drive to end academic selection.
Pleas from the Church, politicians and unions to abolish transfer tests have, by and large, fallen on deaf ears in recent years.
The Omagh announcement is, therefore, being seen as hugely significant - the area has a large Catholic population and a good grammar pedigree.
The Irish News first reported in the summer of 2014 that the all-girls' Loreto and Omagh CBS for boys had agreed to work together to move away in a phased process from selection by ability.
The plan was confirmed in January of this year and was yesterday approved by education minister Peter Weir.
The changes will be implemented on a phased basis, beginning in September 2017 or as soon as possible thereafter, discontinuing the use of academic selection for Year 8 intake at both schools.
"My department has considered the proposals in depth and examined their permutations and impacts on the wider area," Mr Weir said.
"These proposals were instigated by the school management of Loreto Grammar School and Christian Brothers' Grammar School and are very confident there will be no significant changes to their respective pupil numbers for Year 8 intakes.
"I have been open in my stance on academic selection but have also clearly shown my support for giving schools greater choice. So whilst departmental policy is supportive of academic selection, I respect the right of schools and managing authorities to use their freedom to choose not to use it as a means of selection as illustrated by my decision here."
That two prestigious schools have now decided to end selection is expected to convince others to follow suit.
The Catholic Church first told its grammar schools seven years ago to phase out academic selection, and scrap all entrance tests by 2012.
Loreto College in Coleraine and St Patrick's Grammar School in Armagh no longer use 11-plus tests. St Ronan's College in Lurgan is also non-selective while a proposal to end selection at Dominican College in Portstewart was approved earlier this year.
