30th March 2023
Mark McTaggart, INTO Northern Secretary, today reacted angrily to the announcement from the Department of Education confirming to schools that funding for the Engage Programme and the Healthy Happy Minds Pilot will cease from 31st March 2023 giving only 24 hours’ notice to schools.
Mr McTaggart said:
“The cessation of these programmes is a retrograde step on behalf of those tasked with ensuring children and young people have access to the education opportunities they deserve. The Engage Programme was introduced to claw back the loss of education opportunities resulting from decisions made by the employing authorities and the Executive during the two years of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This budgetary decision will cause further disruption to those pupils already disadvantaged by the pandemic and will result in a significant number of teachers, employed through the programme, to lose employment at a time when they are already struggling through the worst cost of living crisis in living memory, while absentee politicians who choose not to attend their place of work continue to draw a salary.”
Mr McTaggart continued:
“The removal of funding for the Healthy Happy Minds Pilot will lead to children and young people who have been receiving vital services being suddenly abandoned. Again, having a devastating effect on those pupils most affected by the pandemic. Due to decisions made not to restart the Stormont Executive, there remains no budget to administer. This is a shameful indictment on the those elected to work on behalf of all our community.
The lack of clarity around School Meal/Holiday Hunger payments is also of grave concern. Principal members have, for some time been reporting that the school meal menus have been altered, significantly weakening nutritional standards in a misguided attempt to make them more appealing to those pupils whose families choose to pay, while also reducing the quality of food offered to our most vulnerable children.”
Mr McTaggart concluded:
“In the time ahead, INTO will continue to resist this callous strategy and actively campaign, along with our colleagues in the other education unions, for the essential financial uplift and stability our education system urgently needs. INTO is steadfast in its resolve to campaign to ensure that our education system has the necessary level of funding to provide the world-class education service that our children and young people deserve.”