Appointment of new members to the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA)

Date published: 04 March 2020

The Minister of Education, Peter Weir has announced three new member appointments to the Board of the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA), to fill vacancies arising from resignations in 2018.

News Update

The appointments are as follows:

Ms Patricia Slevin is a former Principal of Victoria College, Belfast and is currently a member of the Senate at Queen’s University Belfast and of the CCEA Education Committee. She brings to the Board experience of governance, making an impact with others and strategic thinking.

Mrs Paula Leitch is a former Assistant Principal of the Belfast Model School for Girls and former member of the Belfast Education and Library Board. She is currently a professional associate with the Controlled Schools’ Support Council and CCEA. She brings to the Board experience of governance as a school governor and leadership as a previous Board member.

Mrs Samantha Kirk is VP of Engineering and Site Lead for Dynamic Signal, a Silicon Valley based technology firm. She brings to the Board experience of governance, digital transformation, strategic thinking and delivering improved outcomes through partnership working.

All three appointees have declared that they have not undertaken any political activity during the last five years and do not currently hold any other public appointments. 

Notes to editors: 

1. The NI Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) is an Executive NDPB sponsored by the Department of Education. CCEA’s role is to keep under review and provide advice on the three areas of the curriculum, examinations and assessment. The constitution of the CCEA is set out in Schedule 3 of the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 and its membership comprises a Chairperson and 13 members.

2.  These appointments have been made in accordance with the principles and practices of the Code of Practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner requires the political activity of appointees to be published.

3.  Three new members were selected following an open public appointments competition.  This competition was widely advertised including in the Public Appointments section of NI Direct. While this competition was sought to fill vacancies on the Council and was concluded in the autumn of 2018, appointments have not to date been possible in the absence of a NI Executive and an Education Minister. 

4.  The newly appointed members have a term of appointment ending on 25 October 2023 (unless terminated before that time). These posts are not remunerated, however members are eligible to claim travel and subsistence allowances necessarily incurred on Council business. The expected time commitment for members on the CCEA Council is 1-2 days per month.

5.  Media enquiries to the Department of Education’s Press Office Tel: 028 9127 9207. Out of office hours, contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 99 715 440 and your call will be returned.

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