History of Compass by Geraldine O’ Neill Compass Executive Committee Member
In the early 1980s Gemma Hussey, the then Minister for Education created the National Parents Council( Post Primary)- NCPpp. The purpose of this council was to be a conduit between parents and the Department of Education and Science( D. E. S). The membership of the NCPpp board was drawn from constituent bodies which represent the different types of
Ms. Gemma Hussey, former schools in the Second
Minister for Education
Level Education Sector, such as VEC( ETB) Schools, Catholic Schools, Community and Comprehensive Schools. The schools, which had been founded by Protestant Boards of Governors, were in the body known as The
National Protestant Secondary Parents Association- N. P. S. S. P. A. In 1999 this name was changed to The Co-operation of Minority Religions and Protestant Parents Associations( post primary) – Compass.
Ms Hussey’ s plan was that all Second level schools would have a Parent / Teacher Association or a Parent Association. Each association would elect / send one or two parents to represent their school on its constituent body. In turn these parents would report back from the constituent body to the parent’ s association in their school. The Compass Committee is the conduit for Compass affiliated schools to the National Parents Council( post primary) and thence to the Department of Education and Science.
In the 1980s N. P. S. S. P. A. met once a term. Although the D. E. S. recognised the role of parents as Primary Educators at that time and involved parents in many discussion papers; this recognition has strengthened since then. The result is that in the 2000s the Compass committee needs to meet more often, usually monthly and plays an active role in the work of the NPCpp.
Four members of the Compass committee are on
the Board of the National Parents Council, they are often required to represent NPCpp on other committees e. g. the N. C. C. A.( National Council for Curriculum and Assessment), N. E. P. S.( the National Educational Psychological Service), H. E. A.( Higher Education Authority) to name a few. The Compass committee is asked to represent parents at meetings with the J. M. B.( Joint Managerial Body), I. S. A.( Irish Head Teachers Association), The Child Welfare Association, The Child Health Development Association, again to name a few.
In the early 2000s the Compass Committee was aware that many parents did not know of the existence of Compass and its role in the world of Secondary Education. The then President and Secretary travelled to many of our schools to talk at the AGMs of Parent Associations and inform them of Compass and its activities.