Adult and Community Education

Last updated: 16th February 2023

The Deed of Trust for Community Schools specifies that:

The School shall be established with the object of providing a comprehensive system of post-primary education open to all the children of the community, combining instruction in academic and practical subjects, and ongoing education for persons living at or near ........... in the County of ............. and generally for the purpose of contributing towards the spiritual, moral, mental and physical well-being and development of the said Community, the School shall be maintained in or near the townland of the aforesaid.

This statement implies an obligation on the school to meet the continuing educational needs of the adult community in the area of the school. For this reason many schools have established Adult Education Departments which provide part-time night classes and/or more full-time day programmes of study for adult students.

Such Departments are required to be self financing through the collection and administration of appropriate course fees. Provision is made for the appointment of an Adult Education Director and Posts of Responsibility in accordance with DES CL 46/00.  Pay Rates and Allowances for Self Financing Adult Education Classes are set down in DES CL 57/2014

Schools are obliged to submit each year a “Declaration in respect of Self-Financing Part-Time Adult Education Programmes provided in Secondary and C & C schools during the school year” . Such Courses determine:

  • The rate of POR allowance for the Director of Adult Education, the number of PORs in the Adult Education Programme for the 2019/20 school year and

  • the allocation of hours (if any) on the staffing schedule for the 2019/20 school year in order to free up the Director for Adult Education duties.

The relevant Declaration Form for 2018/2019 may be accessed at:Adult Education Declaration Form for Programmes Provided in 2018 - 2019

A National Association of Community Education Directors (NACED) is established which provides valuable assistance to individual Directors in meeting their obligations.

A Further Education and Training Support Unit has been established for the Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools (ACCS) and the Joint Managerial Body (JMB) Schools.

This Further Education and Training Support Unit, headed by Ms. Catherine O’Sullivan, will be responsible for providing supports for a range of activities to schools in relation to the provision of Further Education and Training.