Staff at NI schools stage protests at funding

Pickets will be placed on schools across Northern Ireland today as thousands of non-teaching staff in the North's education service stage a one-day strike.

More than 5,000 members of Northern Ireland’s largest public service union, NIPSA, together with an estimated 5,000 members of Unison and the T&G, are staging the strike in protest at funding of education which has already forced education boards to make cuts in services.

Staff, including classroom assistants, dinner ladies and lollipop men, are striking. The unions believe most schools will be hit and many forced to close.

Public protests are due to be held outside education board headquarters along with a march and rally in Belfast city centre.