'˜Schools are at breaking point'

Mr. Eastwood was speaking after meeting a delegation of primary school principals, alongside party colleague Mark H. Durkan MLA earlier this week.

The MLA for Foyle said: “Today’s meeting with local primary school principals in my own constituency of Foyle offered a stark reminder of just how unsustainable our political situation has become.

“It is a sorry state of affairs when teachers are having to cut back on classroom assistant hours, school buildings are in a state of serious disrepair and extracurricular activities are cut back to the bare minimum.

“We urgently need a functioning Executive in place, an Education Minister to deliver on outcomes, and a budget set to ensure these outcomes can be delivered.”

People Before Profit spokesperson Shaun Harkin, who also met with a network of Primary School Principals in Derry this week, said: “Per pupil funding has been slashed year on year. As a consequence, the Principals made it clear schools are on their knees.

“Years of relentless cuts mean teachers and assistants are being laid-off, Special Education Needs can’t be met, schools can’t be painted or basic maintenance carried out, and, class sizes are increasing. As a result, children’s education is being sacrificed.

“Education is a Civil Right. We need a new Civil Rights movement involving parents, students, educators and school staff to fight for permanent core funding that gives every child the education they deserve,” he added.