RPA Newssheet: Education Minister Releases Convergence Plan
RPA Newssheet: Education Minister Releases Convergence Plan
04/03/2010
As reported in the 15 February 2010 NIPSA Education Newssheet, the Minister had advised she would be releasing the Convergence Plan in due course. NIPSA received a copy of the Convergence Plan at the end of last week. A copy of the full report is available on the NIPSA website.
Click here for PDF version
Click here for Convergence Plan PDF
An initial assessment of the document leaves many questions unanswered; particularly those of any detail and substance.
The key issues documented within the Convergence Plan are as follows:-
- The Chief Executive Designate, in his role as Additional Accounting Officer, will exercise high level executive oversight of all existing organisations;
- The governance accountability and management arrangements for each organisation will be reviewed in light of the outworking of progress on voluntary severance;
- The Chief Executive Designate, 6 Directors Designate and the Chair Designate will comprise the leadership team to create the new common services.
The proposed regionalisation of services as currently proposed mainly impacts on Education and Library Board staff (Phase I).
The other organisations which were due to cease operation on the establishment of ESA are dealt with as part of the Convergence Plan, however the main initial impact will be on senior management structures and support functions such as HR and Finance which will be integrated into the wider support services for the education sector (Phase II).
The Convergence Plan is proposing to move to a regionally managed service which will be lead by the 6 Directors Designate. However the Convergence Plan lacks detail on how this proposal would work in practice. Would regional posts be filled on a temporary or permanent basis, what is the rationale for that? How does this link with Vacancy Control? How would outstanding job evaluations be taken forward?
One of the biggest questions to ask – Can this be done in the absence of the legislation to support ESA? How will staff be treated fairly in a regionally managed approach?
NIPSA’s Education Panel is due to meet on 8 March 2010 and will be considering the paper. In addition NIPSA are due to meet with the Chief Executive Designate to seek further detail and clarification on the Convergence Plan. Following these meetings a further Newssheet will be issued.
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