School principals call for overhaul of board structures

PRINCIPALS have called for an overhaul of how primary school boards are structured as figures show that almost half are still chaired by priest or other religious person.

Almost 27,000 volunteers will assume positions on the boards of the country’s 3,300 primary schools next week for a four-year term. Most boards have eight members, which must include two nominees of the school patron, the principal and another teacher elected by staff, two parents, with two community representatives chosen by other members.

But the chairperson is still nominated by the patron of each primary school, who is the local Catholic or Church of Ireland bishop in 95% of cases, under structures which have barely changed since being established in 1975.