Report on the Education Bill (NIA 3/08) : Together with Minutes of Proceedings, Minutes of Evidence and Written Submissions Relating to the Report First Report Session 2009/2010 - v.1 : Report

The overall purpose of the Education Bill is to provide for the establishment and functions of the Education and Skills Authority and to make further provision about education, education services and youth services.

The Committee for Education undertook substantial scrutiny of the 22 underlying Policy Papers on the review of public administration in education, prior to the introduction of the Bill, via an extensive series of briefings by senior officials from the Department of Education.

Members raised various fundamental concerns with the Department at this stage.

The Committee took oral evidence from, and questioned some 15 key education stakeholders; and received detailed submissions and oral evidence replying to stakeholder issues and concerns from Departmental officials for each of these evidence sessions.

In agreeing to recommend a number of key amendments to the Bill to recommend to the Assembly, the Committee's main theme centred on the need for clarity, certainty and confidence (with the ESA) in several areas of the Bill, where this was clearly lacking. The Committee concluded in its final decisions on some of the key Clauses and Schedules of the Bill, that amendments are necessary to gain, in particular, clarity and certainty regarding major changes to the provisions and structures of education services.