School improvement through effective school governance is the theme for the last ever annual conference of the Association of Northern Ireland Education and Library Boards, which will take place in Newcastle on November 19-20. The Boards are due to be replaced by the new Education and Skills Authority at the end of December as part of the Review of Public Administration reforms but any nostalgia among delegates will be balanced by a firm focus on the future of education. As they prepare to hand over the education baton to ESA after 36 years in existence, the Boards are entering their last lap positively and are determined to finish their course strongly.

So, especially with the conference scheduled for the Slieve Donard on November 19-20, it was fitting that it should be launched by international runner Kerry Harty, herself a Newcastle woman. She was joined at the Stranmillis College launch by Board Chief Executives, outgoing ANIELB President, Councillor Pat Brannigan, and his successor, the Reverend Selwoode Graham, who will take over the chain of office at the conference.
Also present were representatives of the sponsors whose generous support has again enabled the Association to put together an impressive programme for the two-day event which includes musical performances arranged by the SELB Music Service.

Conference sponsors include Northgate Managed Services, Imex IS, Allianz, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Fujitsu, Grainger Communications, eteach and Amey.

Among the speakers lined up for the conference are former London Schools Commissioner Professor Sir Tim Brighouse, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Education, Dr Robson Davison, Northern Ireland’s Chief Inspector of Schools, Stanley Goudie and leading English educationalist Mel Ainscow.

A spokesperson for the ANIELB said that interest in the conference was especially strong this year with Board members still fully focused on educational issues even though their tenure is coming to an end in the near future.

Click here for photographs of the launch.

 

The 2008 conference was held in the Millennium Forum, Derry. Highlights have been categorised into their own gallery. Clicking on any of the thumbnails below will launch the individual gallery.