‘Teachers buying essential resources due to non-existent budget’ – McNulty
SDLP Newry and Armagh MLA Justin McNulty has said the funding crisis facing education is so bad many teachers are personally funding essential resources in their own classrooms.
Speaking to Newry Times, McNulty said, “School budgets are non-existent, Principals are at breaking point and teachers are completely demotivated.
“In recent weeks I have met many teachers on the issue of funding in both the Primary and Secondary sectors and have been saddened by the state they find themselves in. Schools are supposed to be a centre of hope, vision and learning.
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“Teachers and Principals are charged with the responsibility of developing the citizens and leaders of tomorrow. If we expect them to do that surely they should be resourced properly to do so.,” he insisted.
“In my engagement with teachers, I have been astounded to hear how so many of them are personally purchasing essential resources for their classrooms and their pupils. In many cases it starts of buying something small as a once-off and then it becomes a regular practice. This can be stationary, books and or arts materials. In a modern economy this is just wrong and should not be the case.
“School budgets have been squeezed beyond belief. Successive Education Ministers over the last ten years have cut fund after fund and have ended initiative after initiative. Something has got to give.
“This week an independent study highlighted the importance of new technologies in the classroom as aids to learning. Some schools have invested in iPads whilst others cannot afford to. Some children in schools have access to them where as others don’t.
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The local MLA added, “We need to see schools and teachers properly resourced fully to do the work they are passionate about doing.”
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