Transferor Representatives’ Council meets with Minister of Education

A delegation from the Transferor Representatives’ Council (TRC) recently (but before lockdown) met with Peter Weir, Minister of Education, at Stormont. The delegation brought the views from the three transferor Churches – Church of Ireland, Presbyterian and Methodist – on a range of issues across education.

Issues raised included support for governors, the teaching of RE, and collective worship. They also talked about the pressures that principals and teachers are facing daily.

The TRC’s chair, Rosemary Rainey OBE, said: “We welcome the opportunity to speak personally to the Minister about education and the specific issues that concern the Churches. We appreciate how attentive he was to our issues and we welcomed the opportunity for the exchange and debate. He has already followed up on some of the issues we raised and we value his support.”

Dr Peter Hamill, the TRC secretary and Church of Ireland representative, said on behalf of the TRC: “Since our meeting, the world has changed dramatically and we wish to thank all the staff in schools and colleges for their amazing response in such difficult circumstances. We look forward to a time when things can return to normal and our children and young people feel safe and secure in their learning.”