Soaring food, fuel and energy costs will leave Northern Ireland's most vulnerable school children facing a crisis this winter, the head of a leading teachers’ union has warned.
Jacquie White, General Secretary of the Ulster Teachers’ Union, was speaking as pupils prepare to return to the classroom for the new school term from next week.
The new academic year comes as many families struggle with household bills as a result of increasing food, fuel, energy bills and rising inflation.
Read more: NI schools face further strikes as teaching union ballots on industrial action
It also coincides with several teaching unions preparing to go on strike this autumn over pay and conditions.
Ms White told Belfast Live that the ongoing cost of living crisis will be a key challenge as pupils return to the classroom.
“As much as our pupils’ education is always a top priority, as we face one of the worst economic upheavals in a generation, teachers are now increasingly concerned about - quite literally - the bread and butter issues too,” she said.
“Will the children in our classrooms have enough to eat at home? Will parents be able to heat homes through the winter, or afford to run the washing machine and the shower?
“Families are seeing an increase in the price of everything. For the most vulnerable, such as some low-income migrant families who can't access the benefits system, putting food on the table and keeping children healthy is becoming increasingly difficult - and it's set to get worse.”
Stormont's Education Minister Michelle McIlveen recently announced that she wants to introduce statutory guidance to schools here on uniforms, which could include a price cap. The school uniform grant was increased by 20% this year.
“We must ensure that children are shielded from the devastating impact of this crisis and we want to see targeted support for them,” Ms White added.
“One-off payments are all well and good but we need our government to invest in a system that works for children and struggling families in the long-term, rather than pulling them back from the brink of crisis as and when.”
Meanwhile, Dr Graham Gault, the interim Director of NAHT(NI), said the cost-of-living crisis facing families will spill into schools, with many children likely to face deprivation and nutritional deficit.
“At school level, school leaders, teachers, classroom assistants and, indeed, all school staff, will welcome our children back into the new term with love, care and compassion. Our children will enjoy the very best that our school staff can give them,” Dr Gault said.
“At system level, however, staring into the new term is quite harrowing. School funding remains in crisis, with well over half of our schools in significant deficit financial positions.
“Provision for children with additional needs remains extremely challenging, with many children across the region remaining in inappropriate placements because the system cannot cope.“
A year on since teachers here submitted their initial pay claim to the Department of Education, they say there has still been no movement.
“Very crucially, the possibility of serious industrial dispute is fast becoming a probability, as our teachers and school leaders move into yet another year of reduced pay, which now cumulatively represents a reduction of over 20% when compared with 2010 pay levels,“ Dr Gault added.
“All of these things are significantly exacerbated by the absence of an Executive in Stormont, which most school leaders and teachers believe is simply a shameful dereliction of public office.
“The cost-of-living crisis facing our families will spill into our schools, with untold numbers of children likely to be facing deprivation and nutritional deficit.
“As always, our schools will do whatever they can, but with most now in financial crisis themselves, it is hard to see many avenues through which schools will be able to provide sufficient care and support an individual family.
“But again, as has quietly been the case every year, a broken system will be carried along by the charity, love and goodwill of our teachers and school staff to provide food, clothing, washing and all sorts of resources for vulnerable children and families; invariably out of their own pockets.
“And, beyond all of that, our teachers will try to teach.“
Justin McCamphill, NASUWT National Official for Northern Ireland, agreed that disruption is likely in the new term as teachers demand a pay rise in keeping with rising inflation.
In May, a ballot of NASUWT members resulted in 81% of members voting in favour of strike action, while 98% backed action short of a strike.
The UTU has also joined forces with the INTO, the National Education Union and National Association of Head Teachers in a joint pay campaign.
Next month, members of another teaching union, INTO, will ballot members on strike action.
"Back in April we had a ballot our members over pay and at the minute we're on action short of a strike action. As we go into this term, we will be giving consideration to escalating that, which could include strike action," Mr McCamphill said.
"Unless an adequate pay offer is made to teachers, some disruption can be expected. We certainly think this winter will be tough, not just for our members but also parents.
"Schools will face serious issues as well in terms of staffing and wider energy costs. We hear of so many businesses going bust but we know that schools are going to suffer too and if we have a cold winter, then we'll find that schools just won't be able to manage at all."
He added: "The mood amongst our members is currently mixed. Teachers are largely focused on getting ready for back to school and on the pupils they'll teach but they are worried about the cost of living crisis and how they'll make ends meet.
"Teachers need to be properly rewarded for the job they do. We have a recruitment and retention crisis coming in education in Northern Ireland and if teachers aren't paid properly, they will look elsewhere."
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