EDUCATION in Northern Ireland has largely become “a political football” for lack of funding, a Board of Education report put before the Church of Ireland’s General Synod for its adoption suggested.
Research published last month by Dublin City University and St Mary’s University College, Belfast, suggested that nine out of ten teachers (91 per cent) in Northern Ireland were experiencing moderate to high levels of burnout, and 46 per cent were likely to leave the profession as a result. The figures were closely matched in the Republic of Ireland, at 85 and 42 per cent respectively.
The Revd Catherine Simpson (Down & Dromore), a former primary-school vice-principal, said that the Board remained concerned for the welfare of principals, teachers, staff, and governors. “Teachers find themselves overburdened, with a number of concerns, including paperwork, parental expectation, and challenging pupil behaviour,” she said.
“Workload, special educational needs, and extremely limited funds are putting immense pressure on those running our schools. Add to that the social-media world we live in, which is impacting young people and their parents alike, and our schools are in a fragile position.”
The Board was concerned by the increasing issues of mental health affecting all those connected with the education system, from head teachers to the youngest pupils, she told the Synod. “We therefore ask clergy to use their unique role to support their local schools as much as possible, and to encourage their church communities to support in a variety of ways.”
The Board was working actively with the Department for Education on the issues raised by the Supreme Court’s decision on how religion was taught in schools. The court ruled in November in favour of the parents of a pupil attending a grant-aided controlled primary school in Belfast, who challenged the legality of Christian religious education and collective worship (News, 21 November 2025).
“We have for many years held a privileged and valued place within our education system, and, in recent years, it is obvious that there are some in society who wish to undermine the excellent support given by churches,” she said. “Indeed, there are those who were actively trying to remove Christianity from our schools. It is vital that we remain an integral part of our local schools, and ensure that at all times our work and witness reflects the love of Jesus.”