The Transferor Representatives’ Council
The TRC represents the interests of the Church of Ireland, Methodist Church in Ireland and the Presbyterian Church in Ireland in education issues in Northern Ireland and advocates on behalf of the three churches.
Controlled schools are ‘church-related schools’ owing to the fact that in the last 1920s until the late 1940s the three churches transferred their school buildings, pupils and staff into state control (hence the terms ‘transferor’ and ‘controlled’) on the understanding that the Christian ethos of these schools would be maintained in perpetuity. Between 1926 and 1947, the churches transferred approximately 500 schools to the government of Northern Ireland.
During the transfer process at the time, the church leaders stressed that it was not simply buildings, which were being transferred, but pupils, and a concept of education directly informed and shaped by a Christian ethos. In return for transferring their schools into state control, the transferor churches were accorded statutory rights of representation on Boards of Governors.
The TRC overseas the appointment of over 1,500 governors to serve on the boards of controlled schools in Northern Ireland, who are known as ‘transferor governors’. It also works closely with statutory bodies and nominates four members to Education Authority.
For more information on the Transferor Representative Council, this link will take you to the TRC website.
