16/06/2016

EA Apologises To Parents Over Plans To Cut Provisions

The Education Authority (EA) has apologised to school to school principals and parents over the way it dealt with plans to cut pre-school provisions in special schools.

Appearing before Stormont's Education Committee, Chair of the EA, Sharon O'Connor, apologised to parents and said she was sorry for any distress the proposed change may have caused.

Sinn Féin MLA Barry McElduff welcomed the apology.

Speaking after the briefing he said: "I sought an apology from the EA for the way they communicated the decision to parents, schools and stakeholders to cut provision from full time to part-time hours.

"The Committee can appreciate and understand the financial pressure the EA work under. However, we are angry at the way in which they communicated the decision to parents, the schools and the statutory bodies.

"The public needs to know this can never be allowed to happen again.

"The EA needs to build better and stronger relationships with parents, schools and relevant bodies and demonstrate clearly that they will cherish all of our children in all of our schools."

(CD/MH)

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