'Wear more clothes if it's cold,' schools told as energy bills rise
Summary
Schools in Northern Ireland have been told to wear more clothes and reduce heating and lighting to save on rising energy bills. The Education Authority expects school gas and electricity costs to increase significantly by March 2027 due to global events affecting energy prices.Key Facts
- Schools are asked to cut heating and lighting costs wherever possible.
- School gas bills could rise by 60%, from £10.7 million to £17 million by March 2027.
- Electricity bills for schools are expected to increase by about 5%, from £23.8 million to £25.1 million.
- The rise in energy costs is partly linked to the impact of the US-Israel conflict involving Iran.
- Staff and pupils are advised to wear more clothes to stay warm instead of increasing heating.
- Older school buildings make it hard to save energy without affecting student comfort and learning.
- Some schools have heating systems that must stay on to keep classrooms at safe temperatures.
- Energy efficiency ratings for some schools remain low despite investments in newer heating systems.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
