Northern Ireland

Budgetary pressure on education system leaves schemes halted or scaled back

Budgetary pressure on the education system has already seen a number of schemes halted or scaled back
Budgetary pressure on the education system has already seen a number of schemes halted or scaled back Budgetary pressure on the education system has already seen a number of schemes halted or scaled back

From breakfast clubs to free school meals holiday payments and counselling for primary school children - the list of cuts to the Northern Ireland's education system continues to grow.

Budgetary pressure on the education system has already seen a number of schemes halted or scaled back.

Education bosses have been faced with difficult choices after the annual funding for education was cut in the budget from Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

The sector is to receive £2.6 billion in funding - a cut of 2.5 per cent on last year's allocation.

As cuts to shared education projects emerged on Wednesday, it comes amid numerous warnings from the Department of Education (DE) about the savings it needs to make in the forthcoming year.

That pressure is also growing on the Education Authority, which is responsible for most of the day-to-day spending of the education budget. It has said it is facing a shortfall of about £200m this year.

It said last week that it had “reluctantly” agreed to £14m in cuts and measures to reduce costs.

Among the major schemes impacted already is the Extended Schools Programme, which is to be axed after the current school year, leaving thousands of young people left without the necessary support.

Holiday hunger payments for families of over 96,000 children entitled to free school meals is also being axed in a bid to save money and a mental health and counselling programme for children in primary schools, called Happy Healthy Minds, is also affected by the funding cuts.

DE has also said it could no longer fund a scheme which employed extra teachers to help children with their learning post-pandemic called Engage.

No new school buildings or school extensions will be started in 2023-24 due to cuts to the education budget, while a scheme to provide devices like iPads and laptops to disadvantaged pupils is also being paused.

A scheme to provide devices like iPads and laptops to disadvantaged pupils is impacted
A scheme to provide devices like iPads and laptops to disadvantaged pupils is impacted A scheme to provide devices like iPads and laptops to disadvantaged pupils is impacted

There are also fears for the future of youth sector building schemes in Northern Ireland amid a freeze on funding.

It is understood that DE, which is responsible for funding youth centres and services across the north, has said there is "no funding available" for new buildings and improvements to youth centres.

Money given to schools to provide free period products has also been cut by more than 40 per cent.

The department said the funding for the initiative had been slashed "due to a combination of budget reductions and the level of need being lower than expected in 2022-23".

The scheme allows for period products to be offered free in all schools, colleges and public buildings.

It also provides training for teachers in primary and post-primary schools to support them in discussing issues around periods with their pupils.

Teaching unions have described the funding cuts as "an additional insult to teachers, education workers, children and parents".