A WEST Belfast primary school principal says communication from the Education Authority (EA) calling for schools to reduce heating and asking children to wear more clothes goes against the "basic rights we expect for children".
Conor Murphy, Principal of Holy Child Primary School in Andersonstown, received the stark email along with other principals from the Education Authority on Wednesday.
Schools have been told that increasing costs will affect school energy bills and to reduce heating and lighting "wherever possible".
The EA has said that school gas and electricity bills are set to rise by about £8m by March 2027.
"Given the scale of the anticipated cost increases, we are asking all schools to review their energy usage and identify opportunities to reduce consumption wherever possible," the EA said in the email.
Among the measures suggested to schools are cutting heating use by an hour a day and switching off classroom lights to use natural daylight instead.
Staff and pupils have also been advised to "wear more clothes" rather than turn the heating thermostat up if it is cold.
Speaking to the Andersonstown News, Mr Murphy said: "Being energy conscience is something that schools take on board already. Pupils are taught about the environment and using resources responsibly but the idea of treating energy saving measures as cutting services is poor," he said.
"Many of our families are suffering with cost of living as it is. They want to know that their children are going to a school environment that is comfortable, well-resourced, caring and part of that care should be ensuring they are warm.
"The idea that schools would have to make a choice between the care of pupils and cost saving doesn't make any sense. Schools will always put their pupils first.
"If we want our kids to have a lifelong love of learning, we need to make sure schools are warm and they are well looked after all year around, especially during the winter months.
"This statement came to schools on Wednesday. We know about the debt but schools are not spending in flamboyant ways. Each school is trying to work as best within its budget. Ideally, we would love to spend so much more on resources and equipment for the children but we are limited.
"The idea that children should come and sit with a coat on has a clear disconnect with the reality, for some parents who may not be able to provide a coat in the first place.
"We don't want children coming into school like it is the Victorian era where it is cold and you can see your breath in the classroom, that is not going to encourage any child to learn.
"My thoughts ahead of the winter months are that the show must go on. There will be no attempt on our front or I can safely say for many schools that schools will be putting their heat on. There is a legal responsibility that schools are at a certain temperature over the winter. It goes in contrast to the basic rights we expect for children and for staff as well.
"My message to the Education Authority is to look at the funding schools are given and prioritisation and keep the focus on the child. If it becomes pounds and pence instead then the actual understanding of what we are in this job for is lost."
