INTO has criticised the Government's handling of the new funding programme for school services.

In July, Minister Woods announced £46 million would be transferred from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to the Department of Education to fund ancillary services for primary and post-primary schools.

The money, previously administered by F┴S under the Community Employment scheme, would be used to increase grant assistance for secretarial and caretaking services for all schools, including those that have never benefited from CE funding.

Some £13 million would be transferred to the Department this year and a further £19 million in 2002, with the balance to be paid in 2003. The increases would be phased in from the beginning of the current school year, Woods said.

INTO says it has been inundated with calls from schools who have yet to receive information about the new funding arrangements. INTO officials have requested a meeting with Minister Woods, but say they have had no response.

"Schools are in absolute limbo regarding provision of secretaries and caretakers," incoming general secretary John Carr says. "It is with extreme urgency, we require a meeting to clarify the situation and sort out difficulties that are arising."

Previously, primary schools received £40 per pupil from the Department to pay for ancillary services. "This was insufficient to even attempt to employ a secretary and a caretaker, so schools became reliant on F┴S schemes," says Carr.

"The Department has not told us how much money will be given per pupil per school. Meanwhile, schools are not in a position to employ people because they don't know how much money they'll be getting and some have already lost their existing secretaries and caretakers."

A minimum threshold of funding needs to be established, Carr says. "Schools will need to receive over £100 per pupil or they will end up in a worse situation than before. Every school should have a secretary and caretaker as a right."

A spokesman for the Department said: "Proposals for the distribution of the monies being received this year are near finalisation." The Minister had also stated, he said, that guidelines on the new arrangements would be issued to schools early in the new school year.