Debate contribution: Schools in Mid Ulster: Procurement Process
Debate contribution by Mr Keith Buchanan on .
- MLA
- Mr Keith Buchanan
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 18 February 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Adjournment
- Heading
- Schools in Mid Ulster: Procurement Process
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4806827
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank my constituency colleague for bringing the topic to the Chamber for debate. There are many challenges for the Education Authority regarding maintaining an ageing school estate and ongoing capital projects and enhancement programmes. Balancing the budget for major works and necessary maintenance can be tough. School governors and principals work tirelessly to ensure that schools are maintained as well as possible, but, sometimes, the procurement process can be problematic. Therefore, a simplification of the procurement of maintenance is necessary. The Member who spoke previously referred to that. Will the Minister advise what the EA is going to do to give schools more flexibility on what I call small or low-value maintenance works? As the Member who spoke previously said, there are loads of people on school boards of governors or PTAs, for example, who could do that work. They are just not getting the green light or are somewhat concerned from an insurance point of view. Loads of people have loads of skills that could be availed of by the school community; we just need to give them their stripes to do it.
I would agree.
Thank you. The Member who spoke initially referred to those people doing the work "for buttons", and she is correct. People on a board of governors or parents want to see their little school develop and save money so that their Johnny or Mary will be looked after better. Yes, there is definitely an opportunity there. The Minister can maybe give us some indication of where the EA is going on that. A more efficient and effective model for low-value maintenance work should lead to more efficient operations. There could be significant cost savings to school budgets if schools could outsource some of those works locally or if they could be carried out by a caretaker or maintenance team, if they exist, already employed by a school. It can be a frustration for a school that it cannot complete or source small jobs itself. The system to carry out simple tasks, such as changing a projector bulb, seems to be slow, cumbersome and costly. Indeed, I heard of an example of a projector bulb costing hundreds of pounds to replace, which just does not stand up. I am sure that you have all heard that example. It is essential that a school maintains a safe learning environment when implementing essential maintenance tasks. The implementation of a new delivery model in this academic year, if possible, would be positive. It is important that the EA undertakes maintenance based on health and safety, statutory compliance and urgent repairs, and that it ensures that schools are safe for pupils and staff. In September, the Minister visited schools in Mid Ulster, as previously referenced, including Kilronan School, Holy Family Primary School in Magherafelt, Rainey Endowed School in Magherafelt, Magherafelt High School and Cookstown High School. All the principals sent the same message, no doubt. They all had the opportunity to meet and talk to the Minister and advocate for their individual school's needs, as any school is entitled to do and, no doubt, does. Items highlighted at the time included problems related to mould, as was mentioned, roofs and secondary heating systems. They are generic: we could talk about the same issues in every school across NI. Indeed, some of those schools have been waiting for up to six years to get heating issues resolved once and for all. Years of underinvestment and budget constraints have meant that EA has had to prioritise school maintenance and development. I appreciate the Minister's efforts to improve the budget for the Department and the school estate. Maybe those who want the estate to improve, as we all do, could have a word with — he was referred to yesterday as "poacher turned gamekeeper", but I will give him his proper title, as that is probably more beneficial — the Finance Minister. It would be good if anybody who could would put pressure on the Finance Minister to provide the adequate budget that my colleague's Department deserves and needs.
679 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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