Teachers in uproar over school entrance test plans

A teachers union has criticised a Northern Irish school after it began holding an entrance exam in order to select its attendees.

Lumen Christi College, a Londonderry-based school, has vowed to bring a range of tests in the region after the 11-plus comes to an end in the country.

And the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO), revealed its belief that the faith school had to change its mind.

Brendan Harron of the INTO said: "Much has been made in recent years of the importance of the 'ethos' in Catholic schools, which is allegedly based on the gospel values of Jesus Christ.

"Yet we here have the governors of such a school taking a decision to perpetuate the most unfair, immoral and socially divisive system of separating children into those who will have opportunity and those who will not," Mr Harron added.

The selection process is set to begin at the end of 2008.