(UK) NI: SPED costs overwhelming education budget
The Chief Executive of the Education Authority has written to every school in the north warning that financial pressures now “dominate everything” while admitting that current SEN provision system is “simply not good enough”.
In a letter sent to every school principal in Northern Ireland, Richard Pengelly said budget constraints are hampering what the EA can deliver across the system.
“The financial context continues to dominate everything we do,” he wrote.
“These pressures impact the choices available to us, the pace at which improvements can be delivered, and the level of support we can provide throughout the education system.”
Mr Pengelly said that while the EA had a duty to manage its budget responsibly, efficiency and saving don’t go far enough. . . .
Writing about Special Educational Needs (SEN), Mr Pengelly described it as one of the body’s “most important priorities” but admitted that the current provision is “simply not good enough”.
“The reality is that the service we provide at the moment is simply not good enough,” he wrote. . . .
“It is extraordinary to see the Chief Executive of the Education Authority so openly acknowledge that the current SEN service is not delivering for many children and young people. Parents and teachers have been saying this for years. What is concerning is that there remains no clear plan to address these failings in the absence of additional funding and some of the reforms currently being pursued by the Education Minister risk making matters worse. . . .
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