Debate contribution: Schools: Improved Procurement Practices

Debate contribution by Mr Colin Crawford on 25 February 2025.

MLA

Mr Colin Crawford

Party at the time

Ulster Unionist Party

Date

25 February 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Schools: Improved Procurement Practices

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4815443

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I thank the Members opposite for tabling the motion and the DUP for the amendment. We will support both. I declare an interest, as did the Member who spoke previously, as the governor of a local primary school in my constituency. To deliver excellence in education, it is imperative that our schools be equipped with the tools that they need, tools that are timely, cost-effective and tailored to their unique circumstances. Schools require access to high-quality goods and services to function effectively. Yet, unfortunately, as we have heard time and time again from school leaders, the current procurement system administered by the EA is often not as streamlined or efficient as it could be. Like the Member opposite, I totally understand that the procurement rules exist for good reason: they ensure accountability, prevent the misuse of public funds and promote fairness. The current procurement processes, although well intentioned, can create barriers that are disproportionate to the scale and needs of individual schools. When processes become so burdensome that they delay basic purchases, such as the repair of a leaking roof or the sourcing of classroom materials, they cease to serve their purpose. Today is not just about efficiency; it is about equity. Smaller schools, often in rural areas, rely on local suppliers who understand their needs, but overly complex tendering processes lock out those businesses. The contracts and funding go to larger firms that may not prioritise local relationships or urgency. I join others in calling on the Minister of Education to conduct a thorough review of the EA's procurement processes, specifically to slash unnecessary administrative burdens, empower local school leaders with flexibility under transparent guidelines and establish regular dialogue with those on the front line. This is not a call for deregulation of any kind; it is one for smarter regulation. School leaders are not accountants or procurement specialists; they are educators. They need frameworks that trust their judgement and safeguard public funds. The amendment also demands progress on delegating authority for lower-value maintenance works. We all agree that a leaking tap should not require regional tender. By allowing schools to procure minor repairs directly within clear spending thresholds, we can save money, time and a lot of frustration. Furthermore, introducing streamlined contracts for school maintenance will ensure consistency in value for money without sacrificing local responsiveness. The motion and the amendment are about trust in school leaders to act responsibly; in local businesses to deliver; and in the Assembly and the Education Authority to fix systems that no longer serve the people whom they were designed to help.

430 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not qualifying

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:02 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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