SDLP MLA Colum Eastwood.
Education Minister has been called on end the “fiasco” over non-payment of redundancy to teachers – including a number in Derry – to prevent a crisis in school timetable and curriculum planning.
The call has come from SDLP Derry MLA Colum Eastwood who has John O’Dowd to source the money from his department’s contingency fund to bring the “distress” of more than 100 teachers whose applications were “in limbo to an end.”
Mr Eastwood said: “There are teachers that have given as many as 35-years plus service who are attending retirement functions tonight, but now they don’t know if they are retiring, or if they are back in the classroom come September.
“It’s a very distressing situation for all of those affected, including many younger teachers that have been on temporary contracts for some time and who thought they had been lucky enough to secure a full time job, starting in September. Now all of that is clouded in uncertainty.
“The situation also has the potential to throw curriculum planning and teacher allocation by school management into total disarray.
“All of that will be in place for September 2014 at this stage, but with this redundancy fiasco all of that is in doubt.
“This situation has the potential to cause a real crisis for schools in general.”
Mr Eastwood concluded: “However, it also shows a blatant disregard for the teaching profession, which is absolutely disgraceful. The minister must move swiftly to resolve this situation.”
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