The Secondary Education Committee comprises representatives of the Protestant churches and concerns itself with the interests of schools under Protestant management.

Bishop Paul Colton said:

"The scenario widely reported in recent days whereby, as a result of the failure to resolve the serious dispute between the Department of Education and Science and the ASTI, exams may disrupted or even cancelled, and the possible continuation of on-going major disturbance in the educational life of the schools in our country, is simply unthinkable.

Far too many people are feeling extremely vulnerable - students, parents, school managements and many teachers themselves. Not only are exam students affected, but in the disruption of school life in general, all students are affected, not least first years in this their introduction to second-level education.

The need for some practical and material intervention is urgent.

The cost of the various parties not talking to one another and the residual legacy of acrimony and disquiet in our education system is too serious to contemplate.

On behalf of the Secondary Education Committee I urge the parties involved to pursue meaningful and fruitful negotiations."