The School Enhancement Programme was established in June 2012 and targeted investment to meet the immediate and pressing needs in schools. The funding had been available for the refurbishment or extension of existing school provision, but has now been subject to cuts for 2023/2024.
 
Connie Egan MLA has expressed her anger at the announcement, dubbing the news as “yet another devastating blow to the education of our children and young people.”
 
The North Down MLA continued: “Our children deserve the very best education and our teachers are striving to deliver that every single day, often in very challenging environments.
 
“Good quality buildings and appropriate facilities are fundamental to a good education and it is completely and utterly unacceptable that much needed improvements and repairs to buildings will no longer be funded.
 
“Many schools are now being left in a state of limbo with previous promises of upgrades to their buildings now uncertain. Too many of our children and young people are being educated in facilities that are not fit for purpose, limiting the ability of school staff to deliver the world class education they are capable of providing and that our children deserve.
 
“Our children are yet again paying the price for the DUP boycott of the institutions. It’s time for them to accept our children deserve better, end their deadlock and get back to Stormont to get an Education Minister into office to deal with these challenges."