Tony Blair has been accused of pointing a "dagger at the heart" of the system.

Ulster Unionist politicians were outraged when former Education Minister Martin McGuinness announced the final 11-plus transfer test would be in November 2004.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Blair refused to reject proposals which are seen by many as meaning the end of grammar schools.

His comments have been criticised by Conservative Northern Ireland spokesman Quentin Davies and Ulster Unionist assembly member Danny Kennedy.

I don't believe the right way forward is to focus on what happens to the remaining grammar schools Tony Blair

Mr Davies said: "The prime minister showed he had no interest at all and no appreciation at all for the enormous contribution to education in Northern Ireland schools - that's very frightening.

"What is even more frightening is that they have said they are abolishing the present selection test, but they haven't said what they are putting in its place.

"That is a thoroughly irresponsible thing to do."

'Extra investment'

At Prime Minister's Question Time on Wednesday, Mr Blair said the "right way forward" was to concentrate on secondary schools rather than focusing on the remaining grammars.

"I don't believe in returning to a division of children at the age of 11 and as for scrapping grammar schools I would simply say to you that since we came to government we haven't scrapped a single grammar school," he told MPs.

"I don't believe the right way forward is to focus on what happens to the remaining grammar schools.

Tony Blair: PM's questions

"I believe that the right way forward is to focus on the secondary schools, the vast majority of whom aren't grammar schools but who are getting extra investment and rising standards under this government and would be affected by the 20% across the board cuts by the Conservatives."

Shadow schools minister Graham Brady had asked why the government intended to press ahead with former Northern Ireland education minister Martin McGuinness's "ill-conceived" plan to scrap the schools.

Danny Kennedy, chairman of the assembly's education committee, said he was astonished at "the ignorance of the prime minister of education in Northern Ireland".

"It almost beggars belief that the prime minister should reject the notion of grammar schools and academic excellence in this way," he said.

"We have to strive to improve standards and maintain standards, and I don't see how you can either improve or maintain standards by rejecting grammar school education or an academic form of education."

'Stick to deadline'

Earlier this month, the Ulster Unionists failed in their bid to force the education minister to retain academic selection in Northern Ireland.

The party took the lead in a half-day debate in the House of Commons on the future of academic selection.

Mr McGuinness's direct rule successor, Jane Kennedy, said she would also aim to abolish the test, but added that she could not promise to stick to his deadline.

Martin McGuinness said he wanted to end 11-plus

Ulster Unionist education spokesman Roy Beggs described his "utter amazement" when ministers in Westminster immediately indicated they would carry out the policy of Mr McGuinness.

The Ulster Unionist motion was defeated and a government sponsored amendment, signed by Tony Blair and removing all references to selection, was approved without a vote.

The 11-plus exam is a selection test for children in primary seven and determines to which type of school they will transfer.

The Burns review of Northern Ireland's education system, set up by Mr McGuinness, recommended an end to the test.

Grammar schools are against the Burns proposal and have argued for the retention of some sort of academic selection.

They want the right to choose pupils of the highest ability, while others feel the plans are not radical enough.