A study which shows a wide range of abilities in Northern Ireland schools has underlined the inequities of the current system, Education Minister Mr Martin McGuinness claimed today.
The Mid Ulster MP said the Programme for International Student Assessment report showed the range of scores in Northern Ireland among the widest in the world.
"In my view, this underlines the inequities of our current selective system and is further evidence that too many of our young people are under-achieving under the current arrangements," he said.
The assessment, taking in 32 countries, was carried out by the OECD and looked at the ability of 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics and science.
The 3,000 pupils surveyed in Northern Ireland did significantly better than the average in all three areas.
The report focused on reading, showing 16 per cent of students in Northern Ireland in the top-scoring band, compared to an average of 10 per cent.
However another 10 per cent of the Northern Ireland children achieved only a basic standard and a further five per cent were unable to demonstrate even that level of competence, lower than England and the Republic.
PA