Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan has expressed concern at the findings of an audit office report on education expenditure in the north. 

The party’s education spokesperson said:

“The findings of that report are concerning. 

“Now is the time to look at how our schools are funded and how we invest in our children and young people. 

“I was disappointed to find out last year that a review of the common funding scheme was shelved due to COVID. 

“This Audit Office report should encourage the Department of Education to urgently revisit that review. 

“The Audit Office report raised an important point on accountability and how money intended for targeting social need was spent. 

“This shouldn’t be about burdening our school leaders with more paperwork and bureaucracy, but instead ensuring our schools are properly funded so that money to tackle disadvantage can be spent on exactly that and not filling the gaps left by a decade of Tory cuts. 

“What we need now is for the Education Minister to use all of this evidence to put in place an action plan to support these children and young people in reaching their full potential.”