A NEW body designed to fight state schools' corner has finally began its search for a chief executive - and is offering £65,000 a year.
The Controlled Schools' Support Council (CSSC) will mirror other sectoral support bodies already in existence by offering professional support and advocacy to schools.
It will be the first time ever the north has had a support body for the state sector.
It had been expected that the CSSC would launch on April 1 last year, the same time as the Education Authority (EA) took over from the area boards.
The position of chief executive, with a salary of between £61,868 and £64,888 a year, has only now been advertised.
The role will require an "outstanding leader with strategic vision, highly developed management skills and an understanding of the Northern Ireland education system".
There are sectoral support bodies for Catholic, Irish-medium and integrated schools. The Executive approved the functions of the new body in September 2014. It will differ from the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools in that it will not employ teachers.
It will provide a representational and advocacy role for controlled schools, "including advice and support in responding to consultation exercises in respect of education policies, initiatives and schemes".
The CSSC board will include members from various school types as well as members of the Transferors' Representative Council, which represents the Church of Ireland, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches in education.
The Churches had told the assembly that the CSSC was long overdue. For the past number of decades, the former education and library boards had not been able to be an advocate for the controlled sector because they had to be neutral in legislation for all schools.
In addition, the CSSC will work with schools "to develop and maintain the collective ethos of the sector including, where appropriate, a role in identifying, encouraging and nominating governors and in ensuring ethos is part of employment considerations".
It will also work with the EA to raise educational standards and participate in the planning of the schools estate.
