10/03/2003

Schools to benefit from £22.2m windfall

It has been announced today that Northern Ireland's schools are set to receive an extra £22.2 million on top of their delegated budgets in 2003/04.

Announcing the funding, NIO Education Minister Jane Kennedy said that for the fourth year running "all schools will benefit from a share of this substantial allocation".

"There has been much debate about the relative funding of primary schools compared with post-primaries," she said.

"To help redress the balance, 5% of this funding package, amounting to £1 million, will move from the post-primary to the primary sector. With the proposed introduction of the common funding formula in April 2004, the funding position of primary schools will further improve.”

Allocations will be based on the enrolment of each individual school.

Nursery and primary schools are guaranteed a minimum allocation of £6,000 up to a maximum of £25,961. Post-primary schools are guaranteed a minimum allocation of £ 26,700 up to a maximum of £47,911, and special schools will receive a minimum of £5,250.

Ms Kennedy added: “This year’s allocation, an increase of 4% on the amount provided last year, will provide schools with a useful top up to their existing budget and will be invaluable to schools in enhancing the provision for their pupils. I know that all schools will make this extra money work hard for their pupils.”

The extra money is additional to the amounts, which will be made available to schools under normal LMS arrangements in 2003/04.

Schools will be notified of their allocations by their funding authority as soon as possible.

(GMcG)

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