The Lagan Valley MLA said: “It is extremely concerning that the most senior official in the Department of Education will not appear before committee tomorrow.

“The role of the committee is to scrutinise the Department on behalf of school leaders and staff, children and young people, parents and youth workers. That important role is being significantly undermined when the Department fails to engage.

“The public are entitled to answers on the growing challenges facing our education system. Issues such as the deepening special educational needs crisis, the complete breakdown in industrial relations, and the absence of a confirmed budget while the department faces a potential overspend of hundreds of millions of pounds.

“Serious questions remain unanswered, and neither the Minister nor his department can simply avoid scrutiny and evade accountability while our education system is in such a state of turmoil.

“The public deserve transparency and leadership. Instead, it is increasingly clear that the Minister’s priorities are focused on playing politics rather than on sorting out our education system.”