Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SCHOOL HEADS: NO MORE CUTS
Belfast principals unite in budget outrage and vow to keep staff
HEADTEACHERS have joined forces and warned they will refuse to implement any more cuts to school budgets. In a letter to parents, principals in Belfast said they are facing an “untenable” situation which is “seriously compromising their pupils’ education”. The move could mean heads will refuse to accept measures such as laying off staff to save money – even if it pushes them into a deficit. Principal Jackie Wallace of Stranmillis Primary School in South Belfast said: “The budget that’s
being delivered to schools is totally inadequate. “My job is to meet the educational needs of the children. “When the [Education] department give a meaningful and sensible budget that we can implement and still deliver quality education we will, of course, do that and we always have – we’ve always lived within our budget.” The heads have written to the department, the Education Authority and Secretary of State James Brokenshire with the same message they delivered to parents. The letter, sent on Thursday and Friday, is signed by the principals of 43 primary schools. The BBC reported they go on to pledge to manage their budgets carefully. The letter said: “We will not, however, facilitate any further cuts to our school budgets that will have lasting impacts on our pupils’ education and well-being. “Consequently, we will be planning for deficit budget positions.” Mr Wallace added his school, which has 470 pupils, will be in the red next year to the tune of £30,000 if Mr Brokenshire’s budget cuts are not implemented but if they are the figure will hit £60,000. He warned he faces losing four classroom assistants if that happens. Earlier this week, Mr Brokenshire announced he will intervene to effectively set Stormont’s budget for the rest of the financial year if there is no agreement to restore power by June 29. The parties announced yesterday talks are off until after the General Election on June 8. Stormont’s finances have been under the control of a senior civil servant since the start of the financial year due to the absence of an Executive. Figures
published on Monday include a 3% increase in cash for health spending but a 2.5% cut for education. Teachers have warned of catastrophic job losses. Teachers union the NASUWT said the cuts will be devastating. Northern Ireland rep Justin Mccamphill added: “Children and young people are entitled to high-quality education. “This entitlement is being seriously compromised by the failure to invest in schools and the school workforce. “The NASUWT’S campaign to protect jobs and resist further cuts will continue.” Meanwhile, teaching unions have accused Theresa May of leaving the UK’S state education system on the brink of collapse with vicious Tory cutbacks. And more than 500 heads are so angry with the her wilful destruction of schools they have written her an open letter demanding she scrap her £3billion cuts plan, fearing it will put the futures of millions of pupils in jeopardy. The unprecedented response came after the Mirror revealed staff are having to beg parents for cash to help them provide basic educational materials. And teachers told how they are facing an impossible task as colleagues are axed, class sizes swell and morale hits rock bottom. National Association of Head Teachers leader Russell Hobby said the cuts “put the stability of the whole education system at risk”. He added: “All schools are operating under unacceptable levels of financial pressure. “This is a result of the Government’s choice to freeze spending. But it is flatly refusing to admit the reality.” The letter to the Prime Minister highlights her empty promise made on the steps of Downing Street of creating a “country that works for everyone”. Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner added: “Seven years of Tory failure have led to the most severe spending cuts to schools in a generation.”