Ulster Unionist Education Spokesperson Rosemary Barton MLA has warned the revelation that schools will receive £56 less per pupil compared to last year will heap further pressure on the local education system.
Rosemary Barton said:
“Once again it is the children being hit by the chaos in Northern Ireland’s finances.
“It is outrageous that only days before schools come back from their summer break they were notified that their budgets would be far smaller than what they expected. This will have an immediate impact on the quality of education which our young people will receive over the next school year, as well as also having a major impact on many staff who now face a worrying period of uncertainty.
“Between last week’s swingeing health cuts and now this cut to frontline school services, it is clear the people being hit hardest by budgetary cuts are the most vulnerable.
“This is a direct result of the political stalemate at Stormont. We are half way through the financial year and there is still no overall Northern Ireland budget in place causing piecemeal short-term budgetary decisions being take simply to balance the books.
“This is just the latest in a growing list of examples of why Northern Ireland needs accountable Ministers in place so that decisions such as these are not made.”