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Wed, 07 Oct 2026

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 No child should have to learn in a cold classroom - children's commissioner

The EA suggests cost-saving measures as it warns school gas and electricity bills are set to rise.

* Northern Ireland's children's commissioner Chris Quinn criticises suggestion that kids should wear more clothes to save energy
* Schools told to reduce heating and lighting due to expected £8m increase in school energy bills by March 2027
* Energy costs rising due to factors including US-Israel war with Iran, affecting households across Northern Ireland
* Principals say it's not straightforward to cut heating costs, citing energy efficiency challenges of older buildings
* Commissioner Quinn says children should not be left to pick up the pieces of a problem they didn't create, and that schools and department have duty to properly fund them
* Some principals say wearing extra clothes is not a practical solution, and that it's unfair to put burden on pupils and teachers