Latest releases
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34 releases
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Minister putting unsustainable additional workload on teachers, says Mathison, ahead of TransformED motion
Alliance education spokesperson Nick Mathison, Strangford MLA, says the Education Minister's TransformED reforms are adding unsustainable workload for teachers during an industrial dispute, and calls for them not to be rushed ahead of an Assembly motion on the issue.
Education Issue: TransformED education reforms announcement Original release: Minister putting unsustainable additional workload on teachers, says Mathison, ahead of TransformED motion (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter: Potential strike action result of Minister’s refusal to listen to teachers
SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA says potential strike action by teachers over workload is a direct result of the Education Minister's refusal to listen to them. She calls on the Minister to meet teachers and unions and bring forward measures to reduce workload pressures.
Education Issue: Teachers' unions workload ballot over potential strike action Original release: Hunter: Potential strike action result of Minister’s refusal to listen to teachers (opens in a new tab)
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Durkan: Education Minister must value role of classroom assistants
SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan says Education Minister Paul Givan should give classroom assistants proper respect, ahead of an SDLP Opposition Day motion on Monday. He criticises proposed reforms, especially around special educational needs, and calls for scrutiny of the Executive.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Classroom assistant reforms proposed by Education Minister Paul Givan Original release: Durkan: Education Minister must value role of classroom assistants (opens in a new tab)
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Mathison expresses solidarity with school leaders following dispute with department
Alliance Education spokesperson Nick Mathison, who also chairs Stormont's Education Committee, expresses solidarity with school leaders after the NAHT declared an official dispute with the Department over unresolved workload pressures. He urges the Education Minister to meet head teachers and find…
Education Issue: NAHT trade dispute over school leaders' workload Original release: Mathison expresses solidarity with school leaders following dispute with department (opens in a new tab)
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Teacher pay deal welcome but action still needed on working conditions, says Mathison
Alliance Education spokesperson Nick Mathison MLA welcomes the acceptance of the 2025/26 teacher pay offer by the Northern Ireland Teachers' Council, but calls on the Education Minister to set out how he will manage pay pressures and to act on workload and working conditions.
Education Economy and employment Issue: NITC acceptance of 4% teachers' pay offer Original release: Teacher pay deal welcome but action still needed on working conditions, says Mathison (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter condemns Minister's "reckless solo run"
SDLP Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA criticises Education Minister Paul Givan for moving to restrict lawful union activity without consultation, and urges Executive colleagues to halt what she calls reckless solo decisions.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Education Minister's proposals restricting teacher union activity Original release: Hunter condemns Minister's "reckless solo run" (opens in a new tab)
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Teacher pay deal welcome but work starts now on meaningful delivery from minister on workload, says Mathison
Alliance Education spokesperson Nick Mathison MLA welcomes the teacher pay deal accepting a revised 5.5% offer for 2024/25, including an independent workload review, but says the Education Minister must now deliver promised changes on workload.
Education Economy and employment Issue: NITC acceptance of 5.5% teachers' pay offer Original release: Teacher pay deal welcome but work starts now on meaningful delivery from minister on workload, says Mathison (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter: Concerns of teachers must be listened to
SDLP Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA calls on the Education Minister, employers and Executive to listen to teachers after unions rejected a 5.5% pay offer, urging a deal that averts strike action.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Teaching unions reject 5.5% pay offer Original release: Hunter: Concerns of teachers must be listened to (opens in a new tab)
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Hugely disappointing pay negotiations for teachers have broken down, says Mathison
Alliance education spokesperson and Education Committee Chair Nick Mathison MLA says teacher pay talks with the Department of Education have broken down, warning children will suffer from action short of strike. He calls on both sides to return to the table, and urges the Department to rebuild…
Education Economy and employment Issue: Teacher pay negotiations breakdown and action short of strike Original release: Hugely disappointing pay negotiations for teachers have broken down, says Mathison (opens in a new tab)
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Classroom Assistants deserve proper recognition and support, says Alliance Education representatives.
Alliance MLAs Nick Mathison and Michelle Guy call on the Education Minister to set out a clear plan to support, develop and reward Classroom Assistants, following an Ulster University report into the workforce. They raise concerns about temporary recruitment and incomplete Access NI checks.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Ulster University report on Classroom Assistants in Northern Ireland Original release: Classroom Assistants deserve proper recognition and support, says Alliance Education representatives. (opens in a new tab)
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Mathison welcomes pay and grading agreement
Alliance Education Spokesperson Nick Mathison MLA welcomes the agreement reached on the pay and grading review for school support workers, ending a long dispute that included industrial action last year. He stresses their importance in special schools and says fair pay is needed to aid recruitment…
Education Economy and employment Issue: Pay and Grading Review deal for school support staff Original release: Mathison welcomes pay and grading agreement (opens in a new tab)
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Egan and Mathison welcome fair employment legislation for teachers coming into operation
Alliance's Connie Egan and Nick Mathison welcome the start of operation of fair employment legislation covering teachers, which ends their exclusion and bars recruitment discrimination on grounds of religion across Northern Ireland.
Disability and equality Education Issue: Fair employment legislation for teachers comes into operation Original release: Egan and Mathison welcome fair employment legislation for teachers coming into operation (opens in a new tab)
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Finance Minister must provide urgent update following strike announcement, says Mathison
Alliance's Nick Mathison MLA, Chair of the Assembly's Education Committee, calls on the Finance Minister to urgently update on efforts to secure Treasury funding for a non-teaching school staff pay and grading review, to pause planned strikes in May and June.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Non-teaching school staff strike announcement over pay and grading review Original release: Finance Minister must provide urgent update following strike announcement, says Mathison (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter urges Executive to deliver for school support staff
Education Economy and employment Original release: Hunter urges Executive to deliver for school support staff (opens in a new tab)
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Disappointing to see non-teaching staff overlooked, says Mathison after resources not found for pay and grading review
Alliance's education spokesperson Nick Mathison, MLA for Strangford, says it is disappointing that the Finance Minister has not allocated funding for the pay and grading review affecting non-teaching school staff. He argues the money is needed for special schools and urges the Education Minister…
Education Economy and employment Issue: Budget omits funding for non-teaching staff pay and grading review Original release: Disappointing to see non-teaching staff overlooked, says Mathison after resources not found for pay and grading review (opens in a new tab)
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Non-teaching staff cannot be overlooked, says Mathison as pay dispute continues
Alliance spokesperson Nick Mathison says non-teaching school staff cannot be overlooked and urges delivery of their delayed pay and grading review. He says Alliance has sought an urgent update from the Finance Department on the business case and wants strike action avoided in 2024.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Non-teaching school staff pay and grading review industrial action Original release: Non-teaching staff cannot be overlooked, says Mathison as pay dispute continues (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan: Voices of striking teachers must be heard
SDLP Education Spokesperson Daniel McCrossan says teachers' concerns must be heard as five unions strike across the North, backing their fight over fair pay and working conditions. He calls on Westminster to settle the pay dispute and says the SDLP will hold parties to their pay commitments.
Education Economy and employment Original release: McCrossan: Voices of striking teachers must be heard (opens in a new tab)
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Our schools are beyond crisis point and minister is needed, says Mathison, ahead of further strike action
Alliance Education spokesperson Nick Mathison MLA says schools are beyond crisis point ahead of NAHT joining teaching unions in strike action on 29 November. He calls for a locally elected Education Minister in post and blames the DUP's boycott of the Executive.
Education Economy and employment Original release: Our schools are beyond crisis point and minister is needed, says Mathison, ahead of further strike action (opens in a new tab)
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Disappointing no Education Minister to engage with non-teaching staff ahead of strikes, says Mathison
Alliance MLA Nick Mathison criticises the lack of a sitting Education Minister to negotiate with non-teaching school staff before their full strike on 16 November. He calls for fair pay for these workers and says he has raised pay and minimal disruption for pupils with special educational needs…
Education Economy and employment Original release: Disappointing no Education Minister to engage with non-teaching staff ahead of strikes, says Mathison (opens in a new tab)
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McCrossan: Teachers won’t wait forever for pay rise
SDLP Education Spokesperson Daniel McCrossan says teachers in the North are being driven out of the profession and abroad after England's teachers were awarded a pay rise but those in the North were not. He calls for a fair pay increase and says the SDLP will press for one in any restored Assembly.
Education Economy and employment Original release: McCrossan: Teachers won’t wait forever for pay rise (opens in a new tab)