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Constitution and duties of the Board of Education of General Synod

Constitution and duties of the Board of Education of General Synod

THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE GENERAL SYNOD

The Constitution and Duties of the Board of Education as provided by Resolution of the General Synod dated 12th May 1965, as amended 1972, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1994 and 2019.

Board

Para. 1.

The name of the Board shall be the Board of Education of the General Synod of the Church of Ireland.

The Board of Education of the General Synod shall consist of ex officio members, elected members and co–opted members. The ex officio members shall be the Archbishops and Bishops and the honorary secretaries of the General Synod, all for the time being. The elected members shall consist of one clerical and one lay member representing each diocese. The co–opted members shall be equal in number to the number of dioceses for the time being in addition to nine representatives of teachers of schools in connection with the Church of Ireland. The word “diocese” in this and the next two following clauses shall signify any diocese or united diocese under the jurisdiction of one Bishop. No person shall be eligible to be or shall continue to be an elected member of the Board of Education of the General Synod who shall not be a member of the General Synod. The honorary secretaries of the General Synod shall act as honorary secretaries of the Board of Education of the General Synod.

Para. 2.

The present elected members of the Board of Education of the General Synod shall retire from office at the conclusion of the triennial period for which the Diocesan Synod of the Diocese which they represent appointed them. Triennially thereafter every elected member of the Board of Education of the General Synod shall retire from office on the first day of the ordinary session of the said Diocesan Synod. The vacancies so caused shall be filled during the session in which they shall occur by the clergy or synod members in the diocesan synod of the diocese for which such vacancies shall have occurred the clergy present voting for the clerical members, and the synod members present voting for the lay members only: Provided always that in any united diocese in which there shall be no joint meeting of the diocesan synods, the election of clerical and lay members of the Board of Education of the General Synod may be carried out in such manner as may be determined by agreement between the diocesan councils.

Para. 3.

Any casual vacancy by death, resignation, or otherwise, occurring among the elected members shall be filled, as soon as conveniently may be, by the diocesan council of the diocese for which such vacancy shall have occurred, the clerical councillors present voting for a clerical member and the lay councillors present voting for a lay member only: Provided always that in any united diocese in which there shall be no joint council meeting such election may be carried out in such a manner as may be determined by agreement between the diocesan councils.

Para. 4.

The co–opted members of the Board of Education of the General Synod shall continue in office until the day prior to the November meeting of the Board of Education of the General Synod in 2003: at which meeting, and triennially thereafter, the proper number of qualified persons shall be chosen as co–opted members. Any casual vacancy by death, resignation, or otherwise, occurring among co–opted members, shall as soon as conveniently may be after the occurrence thereof, be filled at a meeting of the Board of Education of the General Synod by the members present.

Para. 5.

The Board of Education of the General Synod shall meet each year in February or March and at such other times as it may deem necessary. Special meetings shall be called by order of an Archbishop or upon a resolution of the Executive Committee.

Executive Committee

Para. 6.

(i) An Executive Committee consisting of ten members of the Board of Education of the General Synod shall be appointed annually not later than 15th March and shall hold office for one year from 1st April following its appointment. The members shall be:

(a) Two members of the House of Bishops, nominated by that House;

(b) Two of the Honorary Secretaries (one from the province of Armagh and one from the province of Dublin), to be nominated by the Honorary Secretaries;

(c) Three members of the Board of Education (Republic of Ireland), nominated by that Committee;

(d) Three members of the Board of Education (Northern Ireland), nominated by that Committee.

(ii) The Secretary of the Board of Education of the General Synod and the Northern Ireland Education Organiser shall be entitled to attend and speak, but not to vote, at meetings of the Executive Committee.

(iii) The Executive Committee shall have all the authority of the Board excepting:

(a) Final approval of the annual report to the General Synod;

(b) The election of the Executive Committee;

(c) The co–option of members to the Board of Education of the General Synod.

(iv) The Executive Committee, in appointing sub–committees, shall have authority to appoint any member of the Board of Education of the General Synod.

Board of Education (Northern Ireland)

Para. 7.

(a) The Board of Education of the General Synod shall appoint a Board of Education (Northern Ireland)which shall consist of:

(1) The Archbishop of Armagh, who shall be chairperson of the Board of Education (Northern Ireland), plus two other Bishops from the Northern Province as nominated by the House of Bishops.

(2) Six representatives resident in Northern Ireland, one from each of the Dioceses of Armagh, Clogher, Derry and Raphoe, Down and Dromore, Connor and the United Dioceses of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh on the said Board of Education of the General Synod, elected as provided by Paragraphs 2 and 3: Provided that, if any of the elected members of the Board of Education of the General Synod representing any of the Dioceses of Armagh, Clogher, Derry and Raphoe or Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh is resident in the Republic of Ireland, an additional person (being a member of the General Synod resident in Northern Ireland) may be elected in like manner as a representative of such Diocese on the Board of Education (Northern Ireland).

*The Board of Education of the General Synod shall make appointments under (2) upon receipt of nominations by the appropriate group of members of the Board of Education of the General Synod.

(3) The Honorary Secretaries of the General Synod for the time being resident in the province of Armagh. It is expected that only one representative from the Honorary Secretaries will attend each meeting and this can vary between the secretaries depending on availability.

(b) The Board of Education of the General Synod shall have power to appoint to the Board of Education (Northern Ireland) not more than ten other members on the recommendation of the ex officio members and representatives of the above mentioned Dioceses. These should include the nominee(s) appointed to represent the Church of Ireland on the Education Authority as well as representatives from the primary, post primary sectors of education; third level (teacher training) and youth and children’s work in the Church of Ireland.

(c) The Board of Education (Northern Ireland) shall meet as often as it may deem necessary and at the time and place it shall appoint, and shall appoint two of their members to act as Honorary Secretaries.

(d) Attendance at the Board of Education (NI) will be published in the annual report and when a member is absent for more than three consecutive meetings then the nominating diocese may be asked to replace the member. If the member is co–opted then they may be asked to step down from the Board.

 

Board of Education (Republic of Ireland)

Para. 7A.

(1) The Board of Education of the General Synod shall in February or March 2004 and thereafter triennially appoint from among its members a Board of Education (Republic of Ireland) which shall consist of

(a) the Archbishop of Dublin, who shall be chairperson of the Board of Education (Republic of Ireland);

(b) two other members of the House of Bishops appointed by that House whose diocese lie wholly or partly within the Republic of Ireland;

(c) the Honorary Secretaries of the General Synod for the time being resident in the Republic of Ireland;

(d) two elected members of the Board of Education of the General Synod, being resident in the Republic of Ireland;

(e) two representatives of primary education, of whom one shall be a teacher and one a chairperson of a board of management;

(f) two representatives of post–primary education, of whom one shall be a principal and one an assistant teacher;

(g) two representatives of third–level education;

(h) one representative of the Church of Ireland Youth Council;

(i) one representative of the Adult Education Council;

(j) one representative of the Sunday School Society for Ireland.

(2) The Board of Education of the General Synod shall make appointments under (1) (d) to (j) upon receipt of nominations by the appropriate group of members of the Board of Education of the General Synod.

(3) The Board of Education (Republic of Ireland) may at its discretion co–opt up to two additional members from among the members of the Board of Education of the General Synod resident in the Republic of Ireland.

(4) The Board of Education (Republic of Ireland) shall elect a vice–chairperson.

(5) The Secretary to the Board of Education of the General Synod shall act as Secretary to the Board of Education (Republic of Ireland).

(6) The other Officers of the Board of Education of the General Synod shall be entitled to receive Board of Education (Republic of Ireland) documents and to attend and speak, but not to vote, at meetings of the Board of Education (Republic of Ireland).

(7) The Board of Education (Republic of Ireland) shall meet as often as it may deem necessary and at the time and place which it shall appoint.

Para. 8.

In pursuance of the missional role of the Church of Ireland:

(a) It shall be the duty of the Board of Education of the General Synod to define the policy of the Church in education, both religious and secular, and, in promotion of this policy, to take such steps as may be deemed necessary to co–ordinate activities in all fields of education affecting the interests of the Church of Ireland. The Board of Education of the General Synod shall maintain close contact with government, Diocesan Boards of Education, and other educational and school authorities with a view to the most efficient and economical use of resources including funds, transport facilities and teachers.

(b) It shall be the duty of the Board of Education of the General Synod to support church based religious education and faith development through liaison with such structures and bodies as shall be established by the Church of Ireland to further children’s ministry, youth ministry and Safeguarding.

Para. 9.

The Board of Education of the General Synod shall study any legislation or proposed legislation likely to affect the educational interests of the Church of Ireland and take such action with respect thereto as it may deem necessary. The Board of Education of the General Synod may deliberate and confer on all educational matters affecting the interests of the Church, may make such enquiries as it shall deem to be requisite and may communicate with government authorities and all such bodies and persons as it shall consider necessary: Provided that any action taken by the Board of Education of the General Synod, not already sanctioned by the General Synod, shall be submitted to the General Synod for approval at its next meeting.

Para. 10.

The Board of Education of the General Synod shall discharge such other duties and exercise such other powers as the General Synod may from time to time prescribe.

Para. 11.

The Board of Education of the General Synod shall make an annual report of its proceedings to the General Synod.

Para. 12.

The Board of Education (Northern Ireland) shall have power to represent the Board of Education of the General Synod in all educational matters affecting only Northern Ireland. The Board of Education NI shall have full power in the name of General Synod to nominate Church of Ireland representatives to any education body in Northern Ireland as required. Examples of such bodies are the Transferor Representatives’ Council, the Education Authority, and the Controlled Schools Support Council.

The Board of Education (Northern Ireland) shall work at all times to preserve and exercise the statutory rights accorded to the Church of Ireland as a Transferor Church and as managing authority in respect of those schools not transferred to state control.

The Board of Education (Northern Ireland) shall work, as appropriate, with other Transferor churches to ensure that the statutory requirements as set out in The Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 in respect of the provision Religious Education and collective worship in controlled and voluntary schools other than nursery and special schools are preserved and complied with.

The Board of Education (Republic of Ireland) shall have power to represent the Board of Education of the General Synod in all educational matters applying solely to the Republic of Ireland.

Para. 13.

The Board of Education (Northern Ireland) shall send reports of its proceedings to the Board of Education of the General Synod and shall prepare annually a Report relating to educational matters in Northern Ireland which shall be included as part of the annual Report from the Board of Education of the General Synod to the General Synod referred to in Para. 11 above.

The Board of Education (Republic of Ireland) shall send reports of its proceedings to the Board of Education of the General Synod and shall prepare annually a Report relating to educational matters in the Republic of Ireland which shall be included as part of the annual Report from the Board of Education of the General Synod to the General Synod referred to in Para. 11 above.

Para. 14.

The Boards may conduct religious education examinations and may work through Diocesan Boards of Education in matters relating to the religious education of children.

 

 

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