§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was the total number of applications for discretionary teaching posts received for the 1990–91 academic year by area boards and DENI;
(2) what is the total number of discretionary teaching posts allocated by (a) area boards and (b) DENI for the 1990–91 academic year to each sector of education in Northern Ireland.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe information in respect of full-time posts is as follows:
Primary Secondary Requested Allocated Requested Allocated Education and library boards 1534 1431 2n/a 170 DENI 701 631 486 268 Notes:
1Information in the form requested is available in respect of four boards only since the other board—the South-Eastern education and library board—has adopted a different procedure for the allocation of teaching posts.
2 The total number of applications to boards for discretionary posts is not available.
§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will publish details of the numbers of discretionary teaching posts allocated to each sector of education in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years by area board.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe numbers are as follows:
course of study in Northern Ireland will have a higher priority for a grammar school place than a fee-paying preparatory pupil with lower academic potential at such a grammar school.
§ Dr. MawhinneyNo. The admission of any pupil to a grammar school this year is a matter for the school's board of governors acting within its admissions criteria. The Department of Education (NI) has, however, advised school authorities that if academic ability is a criterion it would be inappropriate for pupils from the preparatory departments of grammar schools to be admitted to secondary departments of grammar schools in preference to other applicants who are judged to have greater academic ability.