UNISON WELCOMES THE DECISION OF THE EDUCATION AUTHORITY BOARD TO REJECT DEMANDS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CUT £110 MILLION OF FUNDING.

UNISON on behalf of thousands of our members in non-teaching staff within Education, welcomes the decision of the Education Authority Board to reject demands by the Department of Education to starve the Education Sector of £110million of funding.

We agree that it is impossible to endorse savings plans which would starve Special Educational Needs of millions of pounds which are vital to support some of the most vulnerable children and young people in our society. It is already a matter of record that education funding in Northern Ireland is the lowest of the four parts of the UK at £6,400 per pupil compared to £6,700 per pupil in England.

It is completely unacceptable that the Secretary of State Chris Heaton Harris has refused to protect the Special Educational Needs budget. We cannot tolerate Education being turned into a political football with no consideration to the damage and harm being done. The planned budget cuts would undermine school meals, transport, SEN, maintenance, and a range of other vital services starved of staff and resources.

We note that EA (The Education Authority) has now written to School Leaders and Governors asking them to examine any expenditure plans and to not engage new contracts for staff or services. It is intolerable that schools are being placed in this invidious position. They are already at breaking point and are now expected to do with even less.

In her letter Sara Long, EA Chief Executive, warns that 2023/24 will be worse:

‘The extent of the financial challenge in 2023-24 is expected to be sufficiently grave that it will require a fundamental systemic approach to cost reduction and this will inevitably have significant implications for schools.’

UNISON will join with colleagues across the Education Sector who have jointly declared trade unions will not stand by and accept the demand from the NI Department of Education for such a high level of cuts of our schools and support services at the behest of the Northern Ireland Office."