School performance tables in the North are to be scrapped, it was announced today.
Education Minister Mr Martin McGuinness ordered the move after the controversial tables were criticised by education groups, unions, teachers and parents.
Union officials immediately welcomed the move to end the "spurious form of competition".
Mr McGuinness said: "Many respondents felt the tables were divisive and failed to offer schools the opportunity to give parents a rounded picture of the school.
"Overall there was a majority in favour of replacing the tables."
Following an extensive consultation exercise last year more than 1,000 responses were received by the Department, with 75 per cent opposed to continued publication of the tables.
A majority favoured schools providing information directly to parents, and arrangements are in place for this procedure to be brought in this year.
Mr McGuinness added the Department will carry out a review of the information that schools are required to include in prospectuses so "meaningful comparisons" can be made.
"I am convinced that this decision is the right one for our schools and our parents," he said.
"In future schools will be able to set their performance in the context of information on the school as a whole."
PA