Administration of Education and Library Boards

The Department of Education's Permanent Secretary is the primary Accounting Officer for monies allocated by the Department, and is responsible to the Minister and to Government for the propriety and regularity of the use of all resources voted by Government for educational and related purposes in Northern Ireland, and for ensuring that value for money is achieved.

Within this responsibility structure, the Department’s Financial Allocations Monitoring and Control Team (FAMCT) is responsible for the budget allocations to the five local Education and Library Boards (ELBs) and for the monitoring of related expenditure.

FAMCT key functions include:

• the monitoring and general financial control of income and expenditure by the ELBs
• establishing and maintaining effective accounting and financial management processes for ELB expenditure and resources
• annual assessment of the Relative Needs Exercise

Responsibility for the corporate governance and general administration of the five Boards in Northern Ireland rests with the Department's Accountability and Governance Team (AGT).

AGT key functions include:

• constitution of Boards
• appointment and training of ELB members and promoting effective governance
• administration of business planning and performance monitoring arrangements
• pay and workforce planning, including job evaluations
• general sponsorship issues including provision of advice and guidance to ELBs on general administrative, management, workforce and personnel issues.

AGT also carries out sponsor Branch responsibilities for the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) and the Staff Commission for Education and Library Boards (SCELB).