School leaders’ union NAHT has organised a ‘super-hustings’ with all prospective parliamentary candidates in Northern Ireland – as it launches its election manifesto urging all parties to prioritise education.

NAHT NI is inviting all candidates across all 18 constituencies in Northern Ireland to the event at the Stormont Hotel in Belfast at 7pm on Tuesday 11 June.

The hustings aim to find out the approach of candidates and their parties in Northern Ireland to the issues facing education, for which powers are devolved - and what they will do to secure the investment needed in schools, including from the UK government.

Four attendees are confirmed so far. They are: David Brooks from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Claire Hanna of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and Robbie Butler of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). In addition, Nick Mathison is attending as a representative of the Alliance Party, although he is not an election candidate.

The event is open to the public and journalists to attend.  

NAHT NI is urging all parties to prioritise four crises affecting children’s education and fight to secure the necessary funding to tackle them. The union wants them to:

• Fix the ‘broken’ special educational needs system and ensure every child can immediately access the specialist provision they need in their local community.
• Ease unsustainable levels of workload facing school leaders which is harming their physical and mental health, and affecting recruitment and retention - ensuring recommendations from the Teachers Negotiation Committee (TNC) Review of Workload Impact on School Leaders are delivered.
• Ensure direct investment to early years, in line with the Fair Start Report, with a focus on buildings, leadership capacity and improving staff ratios.
• Ensure core school funding is significantly increased in real terms over the course of the Parliament.

NAHT NI wants all parties to ensure those who formulate, resource and support the delivery of education policy to adopt a genuinely collaborative approach with the profession, including by consulting with its representatives at the earliest opportunity.

Dr Graham Gault, national secretary of NAHT NI, said: “Cuts to education have been more severe in Northern Ireland than anywhere else on these islands, and our dedicated school leaders and their staff are grappling with a series of crises which impact their ability to deliver the best possible education for all children.

“The return of devolved government, and the resolution of the industrial dispute with unions including NAHT, was a positive step, but far more must be done to prioritise education and address the challenges facing our schools.

“Additional funding is not the only solution to these issues, but the truth is that hundreds of millions of pounds have been lost from frontline education in Northern Ireland over the last decade, with devastating consequences for children and schools.

“We need all parties to commit to securing a fairer funding deal for Northern Ireland from the UK government under the Barnett Formula, and to ensure investment in education is prioritised by Stormont.”

Urging candidates and the public to attend the hustings, Dr Gault added: “Parents will rightly be concerned about the situation facing schools, and this hustings is a perfect opportunity for politicians to explain their plans to fight for children’s futures.”

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “This election is a critical opportunity to put education back where it belongs - at the top of the agenda. For too long, education has been sidelined – and parents, leaders and teachers have watched helplessly as funding cuts have wreaked havoc on our children’s education.  

“Investing in the next generation will be the best way to ensure that Britain is fit to meet the challenges facing this country.

Notes to editors:  

NAHT NI has published its general election manifesto here: NAHT(NI)_Manifesto_2024.pdf

The events are open to the public, and content can be recorded for broadcast purposes. 

Graham Gault is available for any enquiries ahead of the hustings and over the weekend, and is contactable at 07701349487.