Northern Ireland Plans Fines for Obstructing School Inspections

Northern Ireland's Department of Education has proposed new legislation to make it an offence for teachers and school staff to obstruct school inspections, with potential fines up to £2,500. Education Minister Paul Givan emphasized that the bill aims to remove ambiguity and enforce an absolute requirement for cooperation with inspections, which are critical for assessing school quality, safeguarding children, and identifying areas needing improvement. The move follows a decade during which inspections were limited, partly due to teacher boycotts amid pay and working conditions disputes. The proposal aligns Northern Ireland with the rest of the UK and Ireland, where obstructing inspections is already illegal. Public consultation on the proposed changes is open until July 2025, and the initiative seeks to ensure disadvantaged and vulnerable children receive necessary support. Separately, in India, Himachal Pradesh's Education Department announced strict actions including fines against private schools that fail to renew their affiliation for the upcoming academic year, with inspections conducted randomly at the block level.