Schools across Northern Ireland have been advised that staff and pupils should "wear more clothes" if it is cold, after the Education Authority (EA) told head teachers to cut heating and lighting "wherever possible" to offset rising energy bills.
The authority has warned that school gas and electricity bills are set to rise by about £8m by March 2027. In a letter to head teachers, it said recent geopolitical events, including the impact of the US-Israel war with Iran, were expected to have a substantial impact on energy costs during the 2026/27 financial year.
Total school gas bills are expected to rise by 60%, from £10.7m to £17m, while electricity bills are projected to increase from £23.8m to £25.1m over the same period.
"Given the scale of the anticipated cost increases, we are asking all schools to review their energy usage and identify opportunities to reduce consumption wherever possible," the authority said.
Principals have told BBC News NI that cutting heating costs is not straightforward, with one describing her school's energy bills as "ferocious". The guidance arrives as rising energy costs are already affecting households across Northern Ireland.