With the school year drawing to a close and with Boards of Governors being reconstituted in schools across Northern Ireland, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI), Rt Rev Dr Sam Mawhinney, has written to retiring transferor governors to thank them for their ‘hard work and perseverance’ saying that while it has not been without its challenges, the ‘opportunity to be involved in our schools in this way is both a huge responsibility and an awesome privilege’.
Writing on behalf of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, to thank governors for their service, Dr Mawhinney said, “This has been a particularly difficult time to be involved in leadership within education, with governors facing many challenges including industrial action, financial constraints and the global pandemic. Although much of the work you have done has been unseen, please be assured that it is highly valued, and as a denomination we do not take it for granted.”
Membership of Boards of Governors differs according to the school sector and whether they are nursery, primary, post-primary, or special schools. PCI, along with the Church of Ireland and Methodist Church in Ireland nominate over 1,800 governors to serve on the boards of Northern Ireland’s controlled schools. This is as a result the transfer of their own schools to the state, hence the term ‘transferor’ and ‘controlled’. The churches relinquished control of their schools on the understanding that the non-denominational Christian ethos would be maintained.
The vast majority of transferor governors are nominated directly by local congregations and they work together with others nominated by the Education Authority, and those representing teachers and parents, seeking the best educational outcomes for the school’s children and young people.
In his letter the Moderator spoke of the unique opportunity that churches have, not only to share Christian values with others, but also to practically demonstrate the unconditional love of Jesus. “As questions continue to be asked more widely in society about the role of the church in education, we can be confident in Christ as we seek to serve Him and our local school communities,” Dr Mawhinney said.
Thanking transferor governors who are standing down for their service, and assuring those who have been renominated of the Church’s continued support, Dr Mawhinney concluded by saying, “The opportunity to be involved in our schools in this way is both a huge responsibility and an awesome privilege, and we do not take it for granted. Your hard work and perseverance are very much appreciated.”
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