CSSC welcomes £40m investment in schools

Chief Executive Barry Mulholland said,

"Investment in the schools’ estate is essential to support high quality education for all pupils and CSSC very much welcomes that £40million is to be made available to these 16 projects, including eight controlled schools.

"The School Enhancement Programme is a cost effective way to enable schools to improve their facilities and I look forward to learning more detail about the projects that will now progress.

"While this £40million investment is good news, current levels of capital funding continue to be insufficient to support much needed improvements to other schools in Northern Ireland.  The Department of Education's efforts in securing any and all additional capital resources is much appreciated.

"The current overall budget available has resulted in insufficient funding for the minor works, new build and school enhancement programmes, compounding the pressure on the schools’ estate.

"While CSSC acknowledges that finance for education is finite, the reality is that Northern Ireland’s education system requires significant investment after year on year decreases to school budgets in real terms; if there is insufficient investment in the education system, then Northern Ireland’s future is bleak.

"Transformation of the education system has been recognised as a way to reduce education-related spend.  In this context, a comprehensive transformation plan needs to be mapped out, with input from key stakeholders, along with the required investment in the short, medium and long term being identified to enable transformation to be effective."

The controlled schools who have been informed their applications have been approved to planning stage in this tranche of the School Enhancement Programme are as follows:

Primary schools

·       Antrim Primary School

·       Ballyclare Primary School

·       Dungannon Primary School

·       Fairview Primary School, Ballyclare

·       Glengormley CI Primary School

·       The Thompson PS, Ballyrobert

 Special schools

·       Kilronan School, Magherafelt

·       Lisanally School, Armagh

The published School Enhancement Programme, Second Call, Protocol For Selection can be found at www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/school-enhancement-programme-second-call-protocol-selection

21 January 2019