The group which officially represents parents' views to the Department of Education has split on the Minister for Education's decision to seek to have the publication of school league tables banned.
Yesterday Mr Martin said he would lodge a challenge in the High Court today against the Information Commissioner's decision to release information that would allow newspapers to compile league tables of schools based mainly on Leaving Certificate results.
The Minister's decision to appeal Mr Kevin Murphy's ruling was welcomed by the National Parents' Council (Post Primary) but condemned by the National Parents' Council (Primary). Both groups are statutory bodies which are nominated as parents' representatives in the Education Act.
The national co-ordinator of the NPC (Primary) Ms, Fionnuala Kilfeather, said the Minister's decision was a retrograde step. The Minister should look instead at how "good information can be given about schools to parents so they can choose the school for their child in a meaningful way rather than trying to decide on hearsay and gossip".
However, Mr John Whyte of the NPC (Post Primary) said it was "delighted" with the decision. He said the NPC (Primary) would be "as well off getting involved in the nurses' strike because it's about as relevant." League tables were too crude a measurement of schools' performance and would only reflect students' performance in academic subjects, he said.
The Minister said the publication of such tables would lead to schools "cherry-picking" students and create "a grind school mentality". This would have a very damaging impact on secondary schools and their students.
Last month Mr Murphy ruled in favour of newspapers which had appealed the Minister's refusal to release information on which they could compile school league tables.
