Liam McGuckin, President of school leaders' union NAHT (NI), said "Our members are glad that funding has been released to continue the Engage initiative until the end of the calendar year. These funds have been used in various creative ways to benefit children and young people across our schools and the extension of the project will be helpful.

"The fact that school leaders are so desperate to access such relatively small pockets of money points to a much bigger problem. School funds have been decimated in recent years, to the point that well over half of our schools are function from deficit positions. This situation continues to spiral even though schools have cut their spending to the extent that after staffing costs have been accounted for, only 4% of a school's spend is allocated to the running of the school. After utility bills are covered, what is left for children? 

"NAHT members are pleased with the continuation of the Engage project, but we mustn't forget that the amounts of money that are being allocated are little in comparison to what our children need."