North education authority won't be schools' 'big brother', committee told

A new all-encompassing education authority in the North will not subject schools to a 'big brother' regime of controls, government officials insisted today.

Grammar schools in the voluntary sector have expressed concern they will lose autonomy under the proposed Education and Skills Authority (ESA), which is set to replace the five existing education and library boards in 2010.

Education minister Caitriona Ruane tabled legislation to set up the ESA in the Assembly yesterday having gained Executive backing for her proposals at last week’s meeting.

Of the 69 grammar schools in the region 52 have voluntary status, which gives them greater control over their budget and staff appointments.

While the new centralised delivery body is set to take over those schools’ role as their staff’s ’employer’, senior Education department officials denied this would have a major impact on how teachers were recruited.

Chris Stewart, who is overseeing the establishment of the ESA, told the Stormont education committee that the fears of the voluntary sector were unfounded.

“There is no doubt and we acknowledge that that there’s a sense of hurt on the part of the voluntary grammar schools at these particular proposed changes,” he told committee members.

“They feel, wrongly, that it’s a reflection by us on their performance or on the value that we may place on them and they are not pleased about the proposed change, I don’t think they will ever be pleased with the proposed change.

“Despite my best efforts to reassure them about the flexibility that we’re building into the system and our faith in the efficiency and effectiveness of the new ESA they fear that activities which are done on their behalf as opposed to being done by themselves for themselves might be less efficient or might be more bureaucratic. They would characterise it as saying they’re frightened of being pulled into a big brother system.”

Mr Stewart said in practical terms the schools would retain the same powers they had now.

“The ESA formally in law will be the employer of staff and that will be the position in law,” he explained.

“But in terms of activities, particularly around employment, the answer is very few (roles the ESA will take over).

“It will still be the school that determines the complement of staff, it will still be the school that determines whether or not a vacancy is suppressed or filled, it will be the school that draws up the job description, person specification, issue the advertisement, pull together the short listing panel, the interviewing panel, interview the candidate and decide, on the merit principle, who should be appointed.

“It may then simply be that the letter to the successful candidate saying congratulations you’ve got a job will come from the ESA rather than the school, even that can be left in the hands of the school if necessary.”

Deputy Secretary of the department John McGrath said while the ESA was taking over responsibility for all schools, the model it would be asking principals and boards of governors to work under was very similar to the one currently in operation in the voluntary sector.

“It’s entirely understandable why they (voluntary schools) may feel this (concerned) but our view is that when you get down to the reality in day to day terms it will be very, very little difference on the ground (under the ESA),” he said.

“On the other hand across the spectrum of other schools there will be significant difference. What we are saying is we want most other schools to aspire to the sort of model that effectively voluntary grammars have at the minute.”

Sinn Féin’s John O’Dowd (Upper Bann) said it was right that the ESA was trying to put more accountability in the voluntary sector.

“I suggest if the voluntary grammar schools seek their independence they should stop taking taxpayers’ money,” he said.

“And then they wouldn’t have the hassle of people who are elected by taxpayers to make sure taxpayers’ money is spent properly holding them to account.

“Any group or any body that is being given large sums of taxpayers’ money has to have accountability in them in my opinion, there’s no option other than to bring them in under the employing authority (ESA).”