Ulster Unionist Education Spokesperson, Rosemary Barton MLA, has revealed that schools across Northern Ireland are forecast to overspend their budget allocations by £32m in 2018-19.
Rosemary Barton said:
“It has long been recognised that there is a serious funding crisis right across our education system. Now, after requesting updated information from the Education Authority, I have been informed that schools in Northern Ireland estimate that they will overspend their Common Funding Formula allocations this year by approximately £32m. That is even after planned savings and additional income of £10.7m.
“These are hugely worrying figures as it shows that schools are having to spend money that they just don’t have. As a result a record number of them are now reporting a deficit position.
“Growing pupil numbers and year-on-year tightening budgets are combining to create a perfect storm. The pressures have been building from 2010/11, but have greatly intensified from 2016/17 onwards.
“The revelation that our schools this year are £32m short of key funding also debunks the myth from the DUP that their arrangement with the Conservative Party has somehow removed the pressures on school budgets. Instead of the problems being fixed, they’ve actually never been worse.
“Schools in recent years have been desperately trying to cut down on costs, including by reducing the numbers of teachers and classroom assistants that they are employing. As a result, class sizes have inevitably begun to swell and that is something I know from my over 30 years in teaching will now only come to the detriment of the young people.
“There is a major challenge in education funding right across Northern Ireland and it’s clear that the current model is no longer fit for purpose. Yet in the absence of a local Minister or functioning Assembly the problem will only continue to get worse.
“This is a wholly untenable and unsustainable situation. The Secretary of State can no longer get away with just sitting on the fence and showing a total lack of concern – she must either force the establishment of a local Executive to get on with the things that matter most to people, or announce her Government’s plans for the immediate introduction of Direct Rule.”
