‘WORST EDUCATION FUNDING CRISIS IN A GENERATION’ THREATENS FUTURE

Local members of Northern Ireland teaching union the UTU are calling for action to avert what’s been described as the ‘worst education funding crisis in a generation’.

At their recent annual conference in Newcastle, Co Down, they called on the Executive to meet as a matter of urgency and press the case for safeguarding frontline funding for educational services.

“Recently our colleagues across Scotland were forced to take a similar plea to their government onto the streets when thousands flocked to a march and rally in Glasgow,” said Avril Hall-Callaghan, General Secretary of the UTU.

“Like us they don’t want the children to end up paying the price for these cuts – a staggering £52m from the 2010-11 budget and £22m on capital investment.

“The Minister has told us that such savage savings would make classroom cuts unavoidable – but why should our children pay.

"By cutting back funding now, by seeking the cheap option on their education, this will damage not only our children's futures but the future of Northern Ireland. We simply cannot allow that to happen.

"Our young people are worth the investment, and the future prosperity of Northern Ireland depends on them.

“Our schools perform very well and offer a high-quality education. They’re staffed by skilled teachers who aren’t motivated by money but by the genuine vocational desire to provide the best opportunity for our young people.

"Money allocated to education should not be seen as a cost, but a longterm investment in Northern Ireland.

“I wonder how much further can resources in classrooms here could be stretched - Northern Ireland already has one of the highest pupil to teacher ratios in the British Isles.

“In Scotland, the PTR in primary schools is 16.0; 15.9 in the Republic of Ireland while in Northern Ireland it is 20.4,” she said.

“While in monetary terms primary schools here already have one of the worst primary-secondary funding differentials in the UK. In Northern Ireland the funding for a primary pupil is 66% of a secondary pupil, compared with 78% in England, 71% in Scotland and 82% in Wales.”