Nelson McCausland, who has been working with Mr Dodds on the funding issue with local school principals Anne Thompson, Claire Hillman and David Patterson
Dodds calls for funds for primary schools
Thursday, May 08, 2008
The ending of funding streams to primary schools in north Belfast and the
Shankill area will have a detrimental effect on the children’s education,
the local MP has stated.
Nigel Dodds has added his support to the principals from local primary
schools in their call for resources from the Department of Education in
Northern Ireland (DENI) to tackle the education difficulties in the area.
Last Friday (May 2) teacher representatives from the area met with the
Education Committee at Stormont to make them aware of what they see as a
funding crisis.
Mr Dodds said: “For the past number of years schools in north Belfast and
the Greater Shankill have benefited from three different funding streams
which are now either being cut or drawing to a close — Interface funding,
Renewing Communities funding and Extended Schools funding.
“This is having a very serious effect on local schools. The Renewing
Communities funding specifically targeted special needs and allowed schools
to employ a special needs teacher to deal with problems around literacy,
numeracy and behaviour.
“Renewing Communities finished at the end of March.
“Interface funding was awarded to deal with the difficulties arising out of
the traumas of the violence and terrorism that has dogged the area and its
children for many years. The Minister Catriona Ruane has stopped this
funding. Extended Schools funding has been cut by 50percent.
“The Education Minister says that she wants to improve performance in
schools. Her actions in cutting funding to the most needy children give the
lie to this claim.
“The DENI has got the debate all wrong. Instead of destroying all that is
good in our system the Minister should be devoting her time to the problems
of underachievement and educational deprivation.
“These problems are best tackled when children are very young. Therefore the
investment in education needs to start in primary schools and should be part
of a long term strategy. Direct Rule Ministers only offered quick fix
solutions.
“This Minister appoints task forces and talking shops and takes away the
only help that is currently available. We must offer help to those children
who are most in need.
“We must fund education in areas of disadvantage and we must allow the
professional teachers who know our children to use the money in the most
appropriate way.
“It is time for the Education Minster to focus on the real debate in
education — investing in our children by tackling underachievement and
deprivation.”
A spokeswoman for DENI said: "Taking account of the current nature of
community problems in Belfast, the Department considers Interface support
programmes are no longer entirely appropriate.
“In these circumstances, the Department does not intend to fund another
Interface support programme but will continue to foster and promote better
educational opportunities for all our young people in accordance with its
budget priorities. The Department advised schools well in advance that
funding would almost certainly cease on March 31, 2008.
"With regards to funding for Extended Schools, the Department regrets that
this had to be cut for some schools. Funding is now allocated on a more
targeted basis to help children and young people most in need."
