AQW 17800/22-27


Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast


Tabled Date: 07/11/2024
Answered On Date: 14/11/2024
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Education for his Department's assessment of how the workload agreement, which was part of the pay deal agreed with teachers after he came to office, is currently functioning.


Answer:
The teachers' Workload Agreement TNC 2024/2 was jointly developed and agreed by both the teaching trade unions (NITC) and Management Side of TNC.
The central purpose of the agreement is to enable Principals, Vice Principals and Teachers to achieve the following objectives:
a. to maintain and enhance the quality of teaching and learning;
b. to preserve, in so far as this is possible, the flexibility of the contractual framework and the professional autonomy of staff;
c. to ensure that members of staff are able to observe their contractual requirements, pursue their careers and undertake their day-to-day duties without unfair and unreasonable requirements being placed on them in relation to those duties and with sufficient time to enjoy a reasonable work/life balance;
d. to protect and enhance the professional relationships within a school; e. to ensure that Boards of Governors as employers are aware of and in a position to meet their legal obligations with respect to employment matters and to operate within the spirit of the legislation governing Working Time and Health and Safety.
The agreement clarifies the legislative terms and conditions of teaching staff including working hours, teaching time, cover arrangements and supervision.
The guidance outlined in the agreement has been developed to provide a framework for Principals and Boards of Governors to ensure the allocation and distribution of duties to all Principals, Vice Principals and Teachers is managed in a fair and reasonable manner that enables staff to observe their contractual requirements with sufficient time to enjoy a reasonable work/life balance.
I am satisfied that the Workload Agreement TNC 2024/2 is effective in providing clarification, advice and guidance on teachers' terms and conditions to Boards of Governors, Principals and Teachers.