Ulster Unionist Party leader and education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA has responded to this week's announcement from the Department of Education on the creation of a so-called "behaviour tsar". Jon, who has consistently raised concerns about discipline, classroom disruption and the pressures facing teachers, said that while the move was welcome in principle, it must be backed by real change in schools rather than a new title alone.

Jon Burrows MLA said:

“Most teachers ask for something simple. When things go wrong, they want the principal to have their back, and they want to know that the child who threw the chair is not back in the classroom ten minutes later without so much as an apology. Principals want the same from the Education Authority: confidence that when every other option has been exhausted, their professional judgement will be respected.

“We are not opposed to this week's announcement in principle. But it must go beyond the creation of a "tsar" and lead to meaningful change on the ground. Schools need a culture where strong leadership is supported, expectations are clear, and there are real consequences for the small minority of repeat offenders, without ever making teachers or the many pupils who come ready to learn feel like they are the problem.

“I have also raised the particular issues facing female teachers and pupils, and those concerns deserve to be heard. We need good order. We should support children who face challenges at home, and there are legitimate concerns around special educational needs (SEN) resourcing that would help teachers do exactly that. But empathy has to sit alongside support for the majority who deserve a safe place to teach and learn. The behaviour that needs tackling is the disruptive minority in mainstream settings, within a system that too often puts teachers and well-behaved pupils last.

“We are fortunate to have some of the best teaching colleges in the world here in Belfast. We should widen the circle and bring them in to help shape the solutions.”