Funding increase for education, employment and learning

NIO Minister Jane Kennedy has welcomed the substantial increases in budgets for the Departments of Education and Employment and Learning.

The budget package, said the Minister, amounts to an increase of 7.3% for education in the next year – bringing the funding up to over £1.5 billion. Proportionately, Employment and Learning would see a larger rise of around 10%, bringing its capital spend to £711 million.

Ms Kennedy said: "Over the budget period, substantial new resources will also be made available for infrastructure improvements across the education sector including schools, universities, teacher training colleges and further education colleges, largely as a result of the Strategic Investment Programme.

“I share the Executive’s vision and commitment to provide young people with the best start in life and help improve employability for those with the greatest need. Our budget decisions are based on the good foundation laid by the Draft Budget and take account of the responses during the budget consultation.”

The Minister outlined how the increased budgets would be allocated over the next three years:

• £52 million for school budgets, over and above existing real levels
• £19 million for the development and introduction of curriculum reform
• £3.8 million for the Youth Service
• £2.6 million for capital and running costs of a new centre of excellence for the education of children with autism
• £11 million increase for student support
• £8 million to implement the essential skills strategy

Also announced was a £5.7 million rise in university research funding for next year (on top of the £4.3 million included in the recent EPF funding announcements), and a total of £10 million in each of the following two years.

The Minister also said that "one of the most ambitious education investment programmes ever" would be announced in the New Year. It is expected that the programme will contain proposals for 30 major new projects in the primary, post-primary and special schools sectors.

(SP)