Education and Skills Authority Bill
Education
3:15 pm
Robin Swann (UUP)
4. asked the Minister of Education when he will introduce the Education and Skills Authority Bill. (AQO 2124/11-15)
John O'Dowd (Sinn Féin)
The Bill is being finalised for approval by the Executive. I hope to introduce it shortly, with the aim that it will complete its Second Stage before the summer recess. That timescale is later than I had hoped, but it leaves time for careful scrutiny by the Education Committee in the autumn and for the Bill to become law before 1 April 2013. The Programme for Government commitment for the establishment of the Education and Skills Authority (ESA) remains on course.
Robin Swann (UUP)
Can the Minister detail what plans he has to retain regional bodies that will either represent or respect the regional needs of schools?
John O'Dowd (Sinn Féin)
ESA will be the education body. However, the Member raises an important point. There will be local contact with ESA; it will be not a centralised service. I want to ensure that local connections between councils, schools and education facilities remain. I have not finalised any proposals for where offices — there will be offices — will be located, but that work will continue in my Department.
However, the clear message that I want to get out is that although it will be a single educational authority, ESA will be representative on the ground and available to schools, and it will be based in localities rather than in a central office in a particular area.
John O'Dowd (Sinn Féin)
The Bill, if approved, will benefit all sectors because, at its heart, the Bill is about running a more efficient and effective management system that is fit for the 21st century. The education and library boards have served their purpose, as have other bodies. We are ensuring that we have a single education authority that will help raise educational standards across all sectors. The Education and Skills Authority Bill will also introduce a controlled education sector support body, which, for the first time, will work directly with controlled schools and give them a voice in education.
Daithí McKay (Sinn Féin)
Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. I look forward the Bill coming before the Committee. How will the controlled, maintained, integrated and Irish-medium sectors and the wider community be represented on the ESA board?
John O'Dowd (Sinn Féin)
The First Minister and the deputy First Minister have reached heads of agreement on, and the Bill will provide for how, the body will be made up. The transferors and trustees of maintained schools will retain their established legal right to membership and have four members each. The eight political members will be nominated under the d’Hondt mechanism, which will ensure local democratic accountability. Others will be chosen for their skills and competence to represent the community. I assure Members that I want to see a representative body at the head of education to ensure that all voices are heard for the benefit of education.
John O'Dowd (Sinn Féin)
I do not have the exact figures in front of me, but a significant period of planning has been put into ESA. It is regrettable that ESA has been delayed on several occasions. However, we must now focus on ensuring that we bring forward ESA, which is a Programme for Government commitment, and that we establish and have it in place to ensure an effective and efficient management system for the delivery of a public service.