Brolly slams Education Authority on 'outrageous' cuts
Aontú Deputy Leader and teacher, Gemma Brolly, has slammed the Education Authority who have revealed plans to once again balance their books on the backs of children, cutting another £20m from their budget this year, as well as previous £30m cuts in-year.
Amongst the cuts approved by the Education Authority Board - which has representatives from each major party on it, are cuts to taxi services including for children with special educational needs, a rise in school meals costs, restricted budget for school purchases, forcing schools to cut extra programmes and ending funding for the music service transport facility.
Speaking today, the East Derry rep said: "These are outrageous cuts announced by the EA, snuck out in a press release after school hours today while the distraction theatrics continue from Stormont. How can officials agree to implement cuts to the taxi transport service for children with additional needs when that is the only option open to many families? Parents who start to avail of the service from January will be given a 'parental payment' which we have no doubt will not cover the full cost of journeys. This has to be fought. The alternative is that young people with additional needs will simply not make it to school - that is discriminatory, illegal and morally repugnant.
“The increase in school meals seems to have been made without any understanding of the impacts my colleagues and I are seeing in communities as a result of the cost of living crisis, which Stormont has largely ignored. Primary school meals are increasing by 30p, with pro-primary costs rising by 15%. Whilst this will not affect those with free school meal entitlement, it will hit hardest those families who fall between two stools of entitlement time and time again.
“The EA will force schools to now seek permission before purchasing any equipment, services or goods. The EA do not know what children in schools need; the teachers and managers do - this is simply code for preparing to reject every request from schools in order to please bean counters.
“Schools are also being forced to end 'contingency and programme funding' - which covers split-site costs or in-year growth in enrolment. Many of these costs have been foisted on schools by the Department of Education, or are programmes which the schools has determined are essential to support their students.
“Aontú are determined to fight these cuts alongside our staff and parents who will rightly now be worried about how these cuts will affect their children and their education. No-one frankly wants to hear from public sector bodies about budgets when we see their political masters giving themselves pay rises and trying to divert from their failures in the Executive by bringing about police costs of millions to suit themselves. These cuts will not stand, we will defend every family and every child."