BBC News | NORTHERN IRELAND | Schools count cost of vandals

The BBC has learned that the bill for vandalism in schools in Northern Ireland reached almost a million pounds for the last financial year.

By far the largest proportion of the bill was spent on replacing broken glass in smashed windows.

It is estimated the money could have paid for up to 50 teachers, 100 classroom assistants or 700 computers.

Many schools have introduced security measures around their premises to help deter vandals.

Broken windows account for most of the money
Others have tried to involve the community in the life of the school in an attempt to encourage people to protect it.

Teachers say most of vandalism does not make the headlines but consist of small but regular attacks which can mount up over the year.

The breakdown of the total bill for acts of vandalism on schools is as follows:

North Eastern Board �363,000

Belfast Board �300,000

South Eastern Board �155,000

Southern Board �85,269

Western Board �70,000

The chief executive of the North Eastern Board, Gordon Topping, said about the wasted money: "We could be spending it on teachers, books, on maintaining our premises to a higher standard or even building a new extension."

One primary school said the �5,000 spent on repairing its broken windows could have bought the science and technology equipment it needs.


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