‘School leaders warning a serious message’ – McKevitt
SDLP Assembly Candidate Karen McKevitt has said a warning this week by local school Principals and Boards of Governors about new financial pressures must be taken very serious by the next Assembly.
Speaking to Newry Times, McKevitt explained, “This week we heard local school leaders, from both the primary and secondary sectors warn that new costs passed onto their school budgets could have serious consequences for educational provision in local schools.
“SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood was in Armagh this week and he met with the principals of a number of local schools and their warnings couldn’t have been clearer, this is just not manageable without having serious consequences for the education of children.
“It is estimated that most primary schools locally can expect to have anything up to an additional £40,000 to find were as some local secondary and grammar schools have to find an additional £140,000 per year, this is in a climate of already reduced budgets,” she continued.
“I was astonished to hear local principals take to the media and warn that class sizes would get bigger, teaching numbers could be reduced and in secondary schools some subjects could be axed. This are serious warnings and we must listen to the very real concerns of educationalists.”
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“We cannot allow this situation to continue. This is an issue which must be addressed by any new Education Minister. They must realise the gravity of John O’Dowds decision, he cannot simply drop this burden on schools as he is about to leave Ministerial Office, this cannot happen.
McKevitt added, “I will be raising this issue with the new Education Minister and seek an urgent reversal of this decision.”
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