To ask the Minister of Education for an update on his Department’s plans to legislate to create a professional body to support the teaching profession.

Since then Education Minister, Michelle McIlveen MLA, announced in the Assembly on 13 December 2021 her decision to dissolve and replace the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI), the Department has undertaken a public consultation on the form a replacement should take and the functions it should exercise.

Subsequently, further targeted engagement with teachers was undertaken, alongside discussions with the other United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland teaching regulators and other key stakeholders. These all helped to refine the Department’s thinking on an optimal GTCNI replacement; and on 5 February 2024, having previously shared its thinking with our teaching unions, the Department has engaged with all Northern Ireland’s teachers, on its thinking of the key elements to be addressed within a GTCNI replacement Bill.

The Department has requested that teachers provide us with feedback on our proposals and, subject to the views received, the Department will continue to develop a GTCNI replacement Bill, and to seek its Assembly introduction at the earliest possible opportunity.