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Changes to organisations and structures in Northern Ireland

Currently the regulation of NVQs rests with Ofqual’s office in Northern Ireland while regulations of other qualifications rest with CCEA. The Education and Skills Act 2008 included provisions for the transfer of the regulation of all vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland to QCA. Regulation of general qualifications will remain with CCEA and then be passed to the Department of Education (DE) who may subcontract to the new body the Education and Skills Authority (ESA) when this is established. Legislation announced in the Queen’s speech for 2009 will transfer all QCA regulatory functions to Ofqual. The practicalities of establishing the split of functions between Ofqual and QCA in England will be reflected in Northern Ireland in the context of Ofqual (NI) and DE/ESA.

The 2009 bill proposes that there will be a Northern Ireland representative on the Ofqual Committee and that an annual report must be laid before the Northern Assembly. Support to the Northern Ireland representative on the committee and reporting to the Northern Ireland Assembly will be new duties falling to Ofqual (NI).

The above is an extract from “The first report of the Chief Regulator of Qualifications and Examinations” Published in May 2009

Jun 2009

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