Colin McGrath MLA, SDLP Education spokesperson, has warned that the additional resource made available to the Department of Education will not be enough to tackle the oncoming school budget crisis.
He said: “Obviously more resources for our schools are welcome. But £30m isn’t a good news story when scores of schools are just about treading water and others are beginning to sink unto deficit.
“The political crisis is precipitating a far bigger crisis in our school estate. Principals are already cutting after-school classes and looking at restricting the range of opportunities available to children inside school hours.
“This must be a priority for political parties and an area of focus for the institutions. The longer we go with no resolution, the closer we get to the brink and the worse the educational outcomes will be for our young people. It will not wait until halfway through another school term after September.”
