Public Appointment Opportunity to the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessments (CCEA) and Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) and its Diocesan Education Committees (DECs)
Date published:
The Department of Education has launched a public appointments competition to appoint four members to the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessments and two members to the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, along with appointments to the Diocesan Education Committees of Armagh (three members); Clogher and Kilmore (two members); Derry (one member); Down and Connor (two members); and Dromore (one member).
Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessments (CCEA)
CCEA was established on 1 April 1994 and is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) sponsored and supported by DE. CCEA's duties and functions are detailed in the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1998, Articles 73 to 80.
CCEA is the main education body in Northern Ireland setting educational standards and is responsible for the curriculum, examinations and qualifications. CCEA is responsible for advising, informing and keeping under review all aspects of the curriculum, examinations and assessment for schools including developing, conducting and moderating qualifications and assessments, and developing resources to support the implementation of the curriculum.
CCEA Council Members are expected to make a time commitment of approximately two days per month, based on a cycle of approximately six Council Meetings and eight Committee Meetings per year
Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) and its Diocesan Education Committees (DECs)
CCMS is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department and established under articles 142-146 of the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1998. CCMS is responsible for developing and promoting, quality education within the Catholic maintained sector, in conjunction with the Trustees of Catholic maintained schools. The 1989 Order provides for the establishment of a Diocesan Education Committee (DEC), in each of the five Dioceses of Armagh, Clogher & Kilmore, Derry, Down & Connor and Dromore. CCMS’s DECs are committees of CCMS which provide advice to the CCMS Council regarding its policies and implementation and exercise many of the Council’s operational and representational responsibilities.
CCMS Council member’s role is to contribute to the development of the CCMS’s strategy; ensuring that it is consistent with the Minister’s priorities and DE aims and objectives; to challenge and work for consensus in the decision-making processes of the Council; and contribute to the work associated with the discharge of CCMS’s statutory functions. Council and DEC members play an important role, requiring a strong ability to support strategic decision making and uphold good governance, accountability and risk management within an organisation.
CCMS Council Members are expected to make a time commitment of approximately 5 days per year and members of the CCMS DECs approximately 3 days per year, as well as any sub-committee(s) the members may be asked to serve on.
CCEA and CCMS or CCMS DEC Council Member positions are not remunerated; however, members are eligible to claim allowances, at rates set centrally, for travel and subsistence expenses (payable in line with HMRC rates), necessarily incurred on business travel while carrying out their Council duties. Reasonable actual costs shall be re-imbursed.
CCMS Council and DEC Members are eligible for an attendance allowance or a financial loss allowance. Travel and subsistence expenses will be reimbursed for costs incurred while carrying out CCMS/DEC related work.
No specific academic qualifications are required for the posts. Your experience does not necessarily need to be associated directly with the education service but may be from other backgrounds including business or commercial life and/or voluntary service and involvement in the community. We particularly welcome applicants from people whose backgrounds are currently underrepresented on public bodies i.e. younger applicants, women, people with disabilities and ethnic minorities.
How to Apply
Information on this opportunity and an application pack is available by contacting DE as follows:
Website: Public Appointment Opportunities | Department of Education
E-mail: egt1@education-ni.gov.uk
Telephone: (028) 91279226 or 07783828893
The closing date for receipt of applications is 4pm on Thursday 17 September 2026