EDUCATION will look beyond pupil numbers and results when considering whether or not to close schools, its minister has said.

Deputy Robert Sillars, pictured, was speaking about the challenge the department faced to meet its £7.6m. Financial Transformation Programme target following the release of its annual report yesterday, which outlined where public funds were spent.

‘The department has to look at every area of expenditure,’ he said.

Pay costs within Education’s general budget of £63,775,000 (which doesn’t include higher education or college grants) totals £51,172,000.

Nearly 80% of that is attributed to teacher and teaching assistant pay.