Education Minister Paul Givan has welcomed the formal decision by the Northern Ireland Teachers' Council (NITC) to accept a 4% pay increase for the 2025/26 academic year.

The agreement, reached through the Teachers' Negotiating Committee (TNC), marks a significant step in stabilising industrial relations within the sector.

The pay award, which is backdated to 1 September 2025, ensures that teacher salaries in Northern Ireland remain broadly comparable with those in England and Wales. Under the new settlement:

- The starting salary for graduate teachers will increase to £32,916.

- Experienced teachers at the top of the upper pay scale will see their salary rise to £50,876.

- Teaching and Special Needs allowances will also be increased by 4%.

The Department of Education estimated that the 4% uplift will cost approximately £38.3 million for the 2025/26 financial year, with a recurring annual cost of roughly £65.6 million thereafter. Education Minister Paul Givan stated: "Extensive work has taken place to offer a pay increase which is in line with the increase received by teachers in England and Wales. I am pleased that the five trade unions which make up the Northern Ireland Teachers' Council have now formally accepted this on behalf of their members. Today's pay award reflects the value that I place on those working in education, despite the severe financial issues facing education and the wider public sector in Northern Ireland. It firmly demonstrates my support for teachers and recognises the vital contribution they make to children's life chances."

The Minister also addressed the issue of teacher workload, confirming that he intends to respond to the Independent Review on Teacher Workload—which was submitted in late 2025—within the coming weeks.

Alliance Education spokesperson Nick Mathison MLA, who also serves as the Chair of Stormont's Education Committee, welcomed the deal but stressed that long-term challenges remain.

"The value of the role teachers play in our society cannot be overstated and this development has come as a result of great perseverance on their part. I'm immensely glad that they will finally be getting this well-deserved pay uplift. In order to ensure that teaching as a profession remains viable for the future... it's essential that issues around working conditions, such as excessive workload, are also addressed as a matter of utmost importance. Changes have long since been promised, and it's time for meaningful action from the minister."