Cuts To Schools Could LEad To 150 Redundancies

SDLP Belfast City Councillor Tim Attwood has said there could be at least 150 redundancies in schools in Belfast if the proposed cuts in school budgets are implemented.

Speaking following a meeting between a delegation of SDLP Belfast Councillors and the Belfast Education and Library Board (BELB), Upper Falls Cllr Attwood said: "The SDLP is extremely concerned about the impact the school budget cuts will have on local children, schools and communities in West Belfast.

"A number of principals have informed us that the decrease of 5% in the school budget in the next financial year will have a devastating impact on schools. For some primary schools this could equate to a loss of £40,000 in their budget and hundreds of thousands of pounds for larger secondary schools with the loss of teachers, support staff and larger class sizes.

"The worst fears of schools could become a reality following our meeting with BELB. If the cuts are implemented there could be at least 150 redundancies in schools in Belfast in the first year.

"It is now clear that principals and school board of governors are being forced to make decisions which will have a huge negative impact on children and communities in Belfast.

"It is essential that the Minister for Education reviews the cuts in school budgets as a matter of urgency to ensure that our young people are educated to a standard that will allow them to leave school with the necessary skills and knowledge to make a positive contribution to the local economy."

(CD/GK)