Schools demand more State funding as they cannot rely on 'Bank of Mum and Dad'

The group has called for an immediate increase in the basic capitation rate to €275 per pupil, as well as other measures. File Picture: Larry Cummins

Primary schools are under severe financial pressure and need help immediately with a myriad of cost pressures, school management bodies have warned.

The primary management bodies have called on the Government for further investment so that school communities are not “totally dependent on voluntary contributions from already-hard-pressed parents" to provide basic requirements such as heat, light, and water.

In a joint statement, the primary management bodies warned that schools’ finances remain extremely challenged due to ongoing significant increases in energy, insurance, cleaning, and waste-disposal costs, as well as in the cost of teaching materials and buses.

The group includes An Foras Pátrúnachta, the Catholic Primary School Management Association (CPSMA), the Church of Ireland Board of Education, Educate Together, ETBI, NABMSE, and the Muslim Primary Education Board.

Last year’s budget saw an increase in the primary school capitation grant, which was welcomed by the group, which believes it was critical in assisting schools to maintain financial solvency.

However, CPSMA general secretary Seamus Mulconry said schools are under severe financial pressure and need help immediately.

“Schools can no longer count on a bailout from 'the Bank of Mum and Dad'," he said.

Government must fulfil its constitutional obligation to provide free primary education now.” 

Educate Together chief executive Emer Nowlan said that last year’s increase “just about” enabled most schools to keep their heads above water, with many continuing to struggle to meet utility bills and other basic costs.

“Chronic underfunding is now at crisis level, and this is hitting disadvantaged communities and developing schools hardest — the Government must build on last year’s budget to ensure all schools have the basic funds they need,” she said. 

'Chronic underfunding is now at crisis level,' says Educate Together CEO Emer Nowlan.

NABMSE general secretary Eileen O'Rourke said that special schools, and, increasingly, schools with special classes, face a substantial extra financial burden every year due to the cost of the annual training they must provide for all school staff.

“In special schools, SNA and bus escort teams can frequently number over 100 people to be trained, along with all other school personnel," she said.

This training is provided by external private companies, and adds up to a cost of thousands of euros which schools must pay out of their annual budget.

“These schools also purchase protective equipment and wearables for staff, often imported from the UK, which also presents another substantial financial challenge.” 

The group has called for an immediate increase in the basic capitation rate to €275 per pupil; an increase of 10% across all other capitation grants; and for the ‘capping’ of the grant to an enrolment of 500 pupils to be abolished for larger schools.

It has also called for schools to be provided with extra funding to replace the enhanced cleaning grant, the annual funding to meet schools’ ICT costs to be restored, and the grant calendar to be fixed and communicated to schools as soon as possible.