FRONTLINE funding for schools and more money for teachers are among the key priorities of the returning education minister.
Peter Weir of the DUP has resumed the post that he held when the executive collapsed three years ago.
Mr Weir discussed some of his prime concerns during a visit to St John the Baptist PS in west Belfast, which this week was told it would receive money to improve its building.
Most issues he faced, he said, were "resource orientated" adding that he was still to learn how much money would be available for education.
The number of schools in the red has more than doubled since 2017. Close to 600 schools have combined debts totalling £62.6 million.
It is estimated that it will also cost £80m to resolve a long-running teacher pay dispute.
Mr Weir said he did not underestimate the challenges that lay ahead in pursuing his vision for "a first class education system that delivers for all our children".
He said he recognised that school budgets were under severe pressure and there was a need to ensure teachers received the level of pay they deserve.
"We don't know what the Northern Ireland budget will be," he said, however.
"There is no getting away from the fact, getting resources in critical. There is a limited amount of scope. In previous years some things that were valuable but not absolutely essential have been cut away and there isn't any fat that can be cut back."
He said it was "imperative" that adequate resources were made available.
On the issue of tackling academic underachievement in schools, Mr Weir said he was keen to learn more about positive work already going on many classrooms.
"There are a lot of good things happening in some schools, and a lot of it is about pooling that information, maybe learning what has worked and what hasn't," he said.
Mr Weir was welcomed the school by principal Chris Donnelly. The minister was shown several parts of the school that have fallen into disrepair and can no longer be used.
"We are delighted to have been included on the list of schools to receive funding as part of the School Enhancement Programme," Mr Donnelly said.
"This will enable us to transform the existing school premises in St John the Baptist PS, allowing our staff to continue delivering a first class educational experience but in new, state of the art classroom learning environments for all of our children."
The minister earlier visited Riverside Special School in Antrim where he said the implementation of a new framework for special education needs was another key focus for his term.
