Legal News
School Budget Cuts in Northern Ireland to Result in Loss of Teachers (1 December 2011)
Date: 01/12/2011
Northern Ireland’s education minister has warned that cuts to the school budgets will result in a loss of teaching jobs. Head teachers have been informed that they will receive five per cent less funding this year, a loss of two per cent more than predicted. The education minister John O’Dowd has described the cuts as “unsavoury but necessary”.
A letter, which served to outline the difficult challenges schools were set to face, was sent to school governors by the Department of Education. The letter told of how £40 million of additional funding had been released by Mr O'Dowd but claimed that despite that, the cuts in funding would pose a “significant challenge”. Mr O'Dowd said that the cuts would result in job losses for teachers and school staff. Mervyn Storey, the education committee chair, claimed that the minister should attempt to uncover ways in which to save money in the event that jobs will not be lost. Mr Storey described the cuts as a “financial bombshell” and told of how school governors and head teachers had been bracing themselves for only a three per cent cut.
Duncan Lewis’ childcare law department can offer advice to parents and children’s guardians who may be concerned about the level of care their children are provided with in schools. The team of highly knowledgeable childcare law solicitors fully understand the way in which the law can affect clients and their families. The department includes members of the Law Society Children and Family Panel Members.