Headteachers and principals across Northern Ireland have expressed their intentions to move towards industrial action in response to the spreading crisis in the educational system in the country.
According to Geri Cameron, a representative of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), there has been no real action by the government to try and deal with the problems of education in Ireland, which is why teachers are going to take the matter in their own hands.
Ms. Cameron also added that education institutions in Northern Ireland were the ones affected most by recent budget cuts, compared to all schools across the whole United Kingdom. Teachers all over Ireland have been actively trying to manage with reduced funding; however, the pressure put on them is unbearable, which is why the union is going to be looking into industrial action as their next move.
Headteachers and special education
Many of the concerns of headteachers revolve around the significant lack of funding for special education. The biggest problem is that there is a rising number of children who are looking to take part in the SEND program, which covers special educational needs and disabilities. Unfortunately, schools do not have enough resources to provide adequate education to the rising number of SEND pupils.
While the United Kingdom government is actively working on improving special education across the country, the recent budget cuts make this task extremely difficult.
On top of the lack of funding for schools, parents are also on edge, because they cannot afford to cover school costs like uniforms and stationery materials. Thus the crisis in education in Northern Ireland spreads not only over the headteachers and faculty members but parents and families as well.
