Department of Education Northern Ireland

The Department of Education Northern Ireland (DENI) - within Northern Ireland normally just called the Department of Education (DOE) - is responsible for the central administration of all aspects of education and related services in Northern Ireland - excepting the higher and further education sector, responsibility for which is within the remit of the Department for Employment and Learning Northern Ireland.

More details

(sourced from http://www.deni.gov.uk/index/85-about-the-dept.htm)

The Department's main areas of responsibility are in

• pre-school, primary, post-primary and special education
• the youth service
• the promotion of community relations within and between schools
• teacher education and salaries.

Its primary statutory duty is to promote the education of the people of Northern Ireland and to ensure the effective implementation of education policy.

Its key functions include:

• advising ministers on the determination of education policy
• framing legislation
• accounting for the effectiveness of the education system
• allocating, monitoring and accounting for resources
• through the Education and Training Inspectorate, evaluating and reporting on the quality of teaching and learning and teacher education

The Department also aims to ensure that children, through participation at schools, reach the highest possible standards of educational achievement.

In pre-school settings, schools and through the Youth Service the Department also promotes personal well-being and social development, so that children gain the knowledge, skills and experience to reach their full potential as valued individuals.

Structure and functions

(sourced from http://www.deni.gov.uk/index/85-about-the-dept/about-dept-education-structure-pg.htm)

The Department of Education Northern Ireland (DENI) is headed by the Minister of Education, whose principal advisor is the Permanent Secretary. One Deputy Secretary and the Chief Inspector of the Education and Training Inspectorate support the Permanent Secretary. (The second Deputy Secretary post is currently vacant.) In addition to the Education and Training Inspectorate there are eight heads of division who each deal with a specific area of work with each Division organised into a number of Branches and Teams.

The structure of the education system in Northern Ireland involves nine non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), which although operating independently, work closely with the Department of Education and are the ultimate responsibility of the Minister of Education. These include:

1. Belfast Education and Library Board
2. South Eastern Education and Library Board
3. Southern Education and Library Board
4. North Eastern Education and Library Board
5. Western Education and Library Board
6. The Council for Catholic Maintained Schools
7. The Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment
8. The Staff Commission for the Education and Library Boards
9. The Youth Council for Northern Ireland

A number of statutory and voluntary groups and organisations work closely with the Department and have an important contribution to make to the administration of education in Northern Ireland.

1. Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta
2. The General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTC)
3. The Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE)

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