The Chief Executives of the bodies that manage, support and provide services to Northern Ireland’s schools have today published a statement expressing profound concerns about the financial crisis facing the education system.

The statement, circulated to MLAs and the Secretary of State, warns that the proposed draft multi-year Budget for 2026–2029/30 would require the Department of Education to find savings of £826 million in 2026–27 alone, almost half of the current Aggregated Schools Budget.

With around 70% of schools already in financial deficit and over 80% of the education budget committed to staffing costs, the signatories say there is little flexibility remaining in the system to absorb cuts of this scale.

The Chief Executives are urging all stakeholders, parents, staff and the wider public, to engage with the Department of Finance’s budget consultation before the 3 March 2026 deadline. You can respond to the consultation online here (Draft Budget 2026-2029/30 | Department of Finance)

The full statement is available at this link: Statement on investment in the future of our children