Marie Lindsay warns schools face ‘astronomical deficits’ amid looming funding crisis

The former St. Mary’s College principal made the comments as educationalists expressed concern that the school system is heading towards ‘a precipice’.

"All schools… face astronomical deficits over their three-year plan,” she warned at a recent briefing of the Stormont Education Committee. "That is a crisis and it needs to be addressed.”

The retired school principal was giving evidence as a member of the Independent Review of Education.

Fellow panellist Robin McLoughlin was equally stark in his assessment.

"I am not convinced that there is a full understanding of how quickly we will run out of money in education. As we sit here, the education system, in my view, will be bankrupt very soon,” he said.

Mr. McLoughlin spoke of mounting costs related to pay awards for teaching and non-teaching staff and superannuation employer costs.

"We cannot balance our books. There needs to be an understanding that that quantum of money will have to be put into the education budget and it needs to come urgently. We are heading towards a precipice,” he said.

Mrs. Lindsay said a failure to invest in education was leading to a false economy.

“Failing to intervene at an early stage has cost the public purse £536m. per annum,” she said. “The cost per annum for those who were not in education, employment or training (NEET) was £134m. How can we afford that? We need to think about investment.”

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