Challenging lies As Told By N Ireland Politicians

national | worker & community struggles and protests | opinion/analysis Monday April 26, 2010 14:45 by nipsa 517 nipsa517 at tiscali dot co dot uk

As the current Minister for Education Caitriona Ruane attempts to slash budgets, education staff and their families will be steeling themselves for yet another round of propaganda attacks from politicians (both nationalist and unionist camps), pseudo economists and representatives of special interest groups who the Minister can rely on to make the usual calls for cuts in bureaucracy and administration.

Claims are regularly made by these groups, that 40% the education budget goes on bureaucratic administration - this is factually incorrect. In reality the vast bulk of spending in education goes directly into running services for schools and children.

Of the money allocated to the Education Boards (which represents the majority of the overall education budget);

62% goes directly to the schools budgets.

The remaining 38% is divided as follows,

Mainstream Special Education accounts for 5%,

Other schools costs paid centrally on behalf of schools 8%,

Special education (non-mainstream) 9%,

Home to School Transport 6%,

Building Maintenance 2%,

School Catering 2%.

HQ costs which is the bulk of administration accounts for 6% of the costs.

[These are approximate percentages. Detailed figures are available in the publicly available Annual Accounts of every Education and Library Board.]

It is important that we do not let the Minister and her unofficial spin doctors away with misinformation. Please make your friends and colleagues aware of these facts, challenge lies told by politicians. While we are all very well aware that education services are far from perfect we should be proud of the level of service we provide on a shoe string budget.

It is time to stand up for education. NIPSA 517 calls on all trade unions, all educationalists and all parents to unite in the fight against the cuts.