Education reform 'has human cost'

The new body for education has been delayed until 2010

The heads of five education boards due to be scrapped next year said they are concerned about their staff's welfare.

The Education and Skills Authority is to replace the five education and library boards and four other bodies. It has been delayed until 2010.

The boards said many workers are on temporary contracts as they are not allowed to recruit permanent staff.

Chief Executive of the South Eastern Board Stanton Sloan said the pressure may have a "serious human cost".

"Fewer people are doing more work," he said.

"They are doing it well, they stand up to the mark day after day after day.

"The human cost is one which, I fear, in years to come we will all be held to account for."

Some 40% of staff in the South Eastern Board and 30% in the North Eastern Board are in temporary posts.

The chief executives of boards based in rural areas said they are concerned there is a Belfast bias in jobs being offered in the new education authority.

The new authority had originally been planned for April 2008, but the date was considered unrealistic.

The ESA is to replace the five education and library boards in Northern Ireland and four other bodies including the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) and the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS).

Another of the organisations to be merged into the ESA is the North Eastern Education and Library Board (NEELB).