Education to face 'cost pressures' up to £100 million

By Gráinne Connolly

This week SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan, has "sent over 100 letters" to principals across West Tyrone to warn them about future "cost pressures" that Education will be facing. 

Prior to this, the MLA had submitted a series of questions to the Department of Education about school funding. 

He has since received a letter from Derek Baker, the permanent secretary of the department stating that education will face "cost pressures" of more than £100 million in 2017/18. 

Mr Baker also stated that the department has £24 million less to spend this year than in 2016/17. 

The letter explained that the pressures are an unavoidable result of rising costs in areas such as teaching and non-teaching staff pay, special educations needs and essential school maintenance. 

This has led to certain programmes having to be cut or stopped for the time being. 

In 2016/17, just over £10.6 million was provided to about 550 schools for the extended schools programme and this has been cut to £9.1 million for 2017/18. 

This money is used for the likes of homework clubs, breakfast clubs and summer schemes

MLA, Daniel McCrossan said he was "hugely concerned" by the news of these pressures soon to come:

"Cuts may now get even worse as civil servants try to balance their books,

"It's clear that the status quo cannot continue. Only a fully functioning executive can solve this crisis in education."

"If political parties cannot come together for future generations, there is something hugely wrong."

Listen to full interview with MLA Daniel McCrossan linked below: