Prime Highlights:
- Education Minister Paul Givan secures approval to offer teachers a pay increase in 2025/26.
- Teachers’ unions ready to start constructive negotiations early next year.
Key Facts:
- The proposed pay increase could be up to 4%, aiming to maintain fairness and parity.
- The Education Authority has introduced cost-saving measures, including adjusted taxi rates and planned rises in school meal and music lesson fees.
Background:
Northern Ireland’s Education Minister, Paul Givan, has said he will provide extra funding to give teachers a pay rise for the 2025/26 school year. The move comes after Givan received approval to issue a ministerial direction, allowing him to override accounting officers’ advice and proceed with the pay proposal.
The first and deputy first ministers have approved the decision, clearing the way for negotiations with teachers’ unions to begin early next year. Givan has indicated that the proposed pay reward could reach up to 4%, aiming to maintain parity with comparable pay levels elsewhere and provide fair recognition for teachers’ work.
The Northern Ireland Teachers’ Council (NITC) welcomed the decision, stating it looks forward to engaging constructively with the management side at the Teachers’ Negotiating Committee in early January.
Dr Graham Gault of the National Association of Head Teachers Northern Ireland expressed optimism, noting: “We hope there is sufficient funding to enable meaningful discussions after Christmas and work toward a pay settlement for the 2025/26 year.”
Teachers in Northern Ireland received a 5.5% pay increase in 2024/25, and this proposed adjustment continues efforts to reward educators amid challenging conditions.
Givan also noted that the department is facing a budget shortfall of £267 million. To help manage costs, the Education Authority has introduced measures such as asking taxi drivers to lower their rates for school transport, and school dinner prices and music lesson fees will increase from January 2026.
Even with these financial challenges, Givan said the ministerial direction is a “positive step forward” for treating teachers fairly. He added that the department will keep working to manage the budget while supporting teachers and schools.
