AQW 7474/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 26/02/2024
Answered On Date: 29/02/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail the voluntary financial contribution recommended to parents by each post-primary school.

Answer:

Under current legislation, voluntary contributions are a matter for Boards of Governors. For this reason, neither my department nor the Education Authority collect data on the requested voluntary contributions recommended to parents by schools.

While current legislation permits Boards of Governors to seek voluntary contributions from parents /guardians, any request must make it clear that: there is no obligation to contribute; and registered pupils at the school will not be treated differently according to whether or not their parents/guardians have made a contribution.

Further information on the fees and charges that can and cannot be levied by boards of governors in respect of registered pupils at grant-aided schools and requests for voluntary contributions, is detailed in Chapter 19 of my department’s Governor Guide.