Minister Naughton announces reappointment of Chief Executive Officer to the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)

Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton today announced the reappointment of Ms. Arlene Forster as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) for a second five-year term.

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) is a statutory body established under Part VII of the Education Act 1998. Its role is to advise the Minister for Education and Youth on curriculum and assessment for early childhood education and in primary and post-primary schools. In doing so, it is required to consult with partners in education, engage in research, take account of international practice, and develop and review curricula, having regard to the promotion of high standards of quality, equity and inclusion, sound educational practice and relevance to national social, cultural and economic objectives.

The role of the CEO is critical to the success of the NCCA. Reporting to a Council of 26 members, the CEO guides the NCCA’s strategic and operational engagement. This involves bringing vision, strategic leadership and effective management to NCCA’s work to ensure that it maximises the quality of educational experience for all students. The CEO also develops effective external stakeholder relationships and engages strategically with senior decision-makers to support effective curriculum and assessment development and implementation.

Minster Naughton said

Notes for Editors:

Role of the CEO:

The CEO’s key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Advising and supporting the Council in developing a vision and strategic direction for the NCCA’s statutory remit.

• Ensuring the whole organisation delivers on its Strategic Plan and on its annual Plan of Work within the policy framework of the Department of Education.

• Leading, planning and managing work. Notable recent examples include:

• completion and publication of the updated Aistear: the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework

• consultation on the five draft specifications that make up the fully redeveloped primary curriculum, and a report on the consultation findings

• scoping work on the review and redevelopment of the Assessment in the Primary School Classroom Guidelines

• early enactment reviews of Junior Cycle Phase 4 subjects (Mathematics, Home Economics, History, Music, Geography)

• a draft updated curriculum specification for Junior Cycle Modern Languages (French, German, Spanish, Italian)

• early reviews of the Junior Cycle Digital Media Literacy, Coding and Chinese Short Courses

• finalisation of the specifications for the nine Tranche 1 Leaving Certificate subjects

• finalisation of the Programme Statement and curriculum areas for Level 1 and Level 2, the first ever curriculum provision at these levels for the senior cycle stage of education

• completion of the updated Transition Year Programme Statement, a suite of micro modules and an iVET (initial Vocational Education and Training) module

• a new curriculum for Senior Cycle Social, Personal and Health Education

• scoping work on the development of an Irish Sign Language curriculum.

• Continuing to ensure that the NCCA maintains its high standing and confidence with stakeholders in the Irish education system and with the public. Continuing to deliver on strategic goals through strong relationships with the Department of Education.
• Using participative approaches effectively in developing and implementing strategies for change and supporting system curriculum and assessment capacity development.

• Developing links and collaborating with partners in education, the State Examinations Commission, and other relevant bodies in furtherance of the aims of the NCCA.

• Engaging with the media, the education sector and with the general public to promote awareness of and engagement with NCCA work

• Engaging with relevant education research organisations and with equivalent curriculum and assessment organisations internationally to ensure NCCA’s work is fully informed by best practice developments and by research evidence.

• Acting as the accountable person, ensuring compliance with Government policies, preparing strategic and annual business plans, objectives, targets, outputs and outcomes, annual reports, and providing accounts and other information as may be required from time to time in adherence to governance, accountability, quality and performance management requirements

• Leading the management team and ensuring that staff, financial and other resources are used effectively and efficiently.

• Effective reporting to and engagement with the Minister and Department of Education and the Government.

Key working relationships for the CEO in the NCCA are internally with the Chair of Council and Council members and with the Executive team. The CEO’s significant external relationships include but are not limited to the Secretary General and senior officials in the Department of Education Youth; the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; the CEOs of the State Examinations Commission, Teaching Council and the Higher Education Authority; and the leadership of organisations representing school management, teachers and parents and early childhood sector.

Appointment of the CEO:

Ms. Forster is the incumbent CEO, having been originally appointed for a five-year term in 2020 on foot of a Top-Level Appointments Committee (TLAC) process. In accordance with Section 43 of the Education Act, the CEO was appointed by the Minister.

In February 2025 the Council of the NCCA recommended to the Department of Education and Youth that Ms. Forster be reappointed for a further five-year term, in line with the guidelines set out by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitilisation.

The NCCA currently has a full-time executive staff of 70 led by (and including) the Chief Executive.

The NCCA is grant-funded by the Department of Education and Youth. In 2025 this amounted to circa. €12.4m.

The website of the NCCA is available at www.ncca.ie