A parent involvement committee is to be introduced for the next school year, MPs heard this morning.

The committee will work with the Commissioner of Education to improve parental involvement, education minister Wayne Scott told the House of Assembly.

Mr Scott referred to a 2012 Supreme Court ruling that struck down proposed principal transfers, requiring the Department of Education to consult with the PTAs of maintained schools before proceeding with such moves.

That, he said, raised concerns about the possibility of “having to treat PTAs as boards of governors”.

The decision had forced the Ministry of Education to resolve the question of “what parental involvement should look like”.

The inaugural parental involvement committee will have a great deal of autonomy to shape its future direction, Mr Scott said.

• For Mr Scott’s statement in full, click on the PDF under Related Media