Ulster Unionist Education Spokesperson, Rosemary Barton, has expressed her serious concern for schools in Northern Ireland following a letter from the Department of Education with instructions that they must avoid planning to go into budget deficits.
Rosemary Barton MLA said:
“Schools have been under serious financial pressure for a number of years and eventually this bubble will burst. The signs are all there to see. Teachers have been on rolling strike action over pay, workload and conditions and the EA is proposing the closure of a number of schools across Northern Ireland via the area planning process citing sustainability issues. Other money saving proposals have included cutting funding for home to school transport and advice to schools from the EA to reduce teacher numbers.
“This is all a deeply worrying picture. As a retired teacher who enjoyed the profession for years it is very sad to see schools in this position.
“My concern is not for the content of the letter itself which came from a finance official who was carrying out his duties. The truth is that there can be no change to the financial situation in our schools without political direction and a stable budget settlement at Stormont.
“Whoever takes this Ministerial position must take the financial crisis in our schools extremely seriously and prioritise front line funding in the classroom over everything else.”