Praise for strike boy's parents

The dispute at Movilla High School has ended

The suspension of the strike at Movilla High School in Newtownards has been welcomed by the education minister.

Staff and pupils are set to return to class on Monday following the three-week dispute over an alleged assault on a teacher by a pupil.

Caitríona Ruane praised his parents for helping to bring about the agreement between the NASUWT union and the South Eastern Education and Library Board.

"They have shown enormous courage and flexibility," she said.

"He will not be back at the school on Monday but I'm identifying an independent advisor as a matter of urgency.

"I want to make sure that this is resolved to everyone's satisfaction, but the important thing is that all sides say they will accept the recommendations of the independent assessment."

'Frustrating'

Meanwhile, a mother of two pupils at the school said news of the re-opening of the school was "absolutely fantastic" but said she feared the settlement would break down.

Karen Hawthorne said: "We can't wait, as parents, for the children to get back and the children themselves can't wait to get back.

"It's been very frustrating, because I work in a school canteen and I had to go out and leave my children, like a lot of the other parents, every morning, in the house on their own.

"Now, if there is anything between the union and the board that needs to be settled, this has to be settled... because we do not want to go back to these teachers walking out on strike again.

"It could very well be a possibility."

The agreement was signed at the Labour Relations Agency shortly before 1800 GMT on Thursday, after negotiations between the NASUWT union and the South Eastern Education and Library Board.

These centred on how the union would provide information to an independent assessor appointed to assess the needs of the pupil at the centre of the dispute.