| The new Ministers at DE - Ms Angela Smith – and at DCAL - Mr David Hanson - are being invited to meet the Board to hear what the effects of inadequate funding will be for education and library services.
Re-elected and newly elected Members of Parliament for constituencies which are in the SELB area are also to be invited to meet Board officials and it is intended to arrange similar meetings with the six councils in the Board area.
A spokesperson for the SELB said: “The purpose of these meetings is to alert the public representatives to the difficulties being faced by schools this financial year.
“Schools received an increase in actual spend of 1.8% at a time when costs are rising well above this level.
“Services provided by the Board for schools have also been affected by underfunding from the Department of Education, forcing the SELB to agree a spending plan for the 2005-06 financial year incorporating savings of £7.2m.
“In November, the SELB expressed its concern at the projected funding for Education in Northern Ireland , not just for the present financial year but over the three year period to March 2008. It is imperative that Government recognises the critical urgency of reviewing the funding shortfalls.”
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