Royal School Cuts Spark Widespread Concern | Belfast News

Six non-teaching staff at Royal School in Dungannon are facing job cuts as the school grapples with soaring budget pressures and a £173 million deficit across Northern Ireland’s education system. Principal Dr. David Burnett insists the move is essential for long-term stability, citing rising costs and unfunded pay increases that have pushed schools into billions of pounds in debt. While the school seeks savings through utility cuts and revenue boosts, staff reductions were unavoidable. Unison union leaders voiced deep disappointment, pledging support for affected employees during this painful transition — especially as holidays loom. Local politicians, including DUP MLA Deborah Erskine and Councillor Clement Cuthbertson, are sounding alarms, warning more cuts may follow. The human toll is stark: loyal educators losing their jobs amid systemic financial strain on public education. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/f5c2f48f035c0163