AQW 18899/17-22

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 14/05/2021
Answered On Date: 25/05/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education, given the assertion neither he nor his Department have any management responsibility or legal control over school govenors, why the Education Authority requires governors to attend their training courses.

Answer:

Boards of Governors play an important role in supporting schools to ensure that pupils have every opportunity to develop to their full potential within a caring and stimulating learning environment. The Department and the Education Authority have different responsibilities. For instance the Education Authority provides governors with a range of resources and support, including training, to help them become more effective. Training is not mandatory for Governors, however it is expected that they would attend the following:

Training Course	Number / Category of governor required to attend
The Safeguarding Role of the Chairperson and Designated Governor	Chairperson and Designated Governor
Child protection Awareness Training Level 1	All governors
An Introduction to Recruitment and Selection	At least one member of each board of governors who will sit on recruitment panels