Guide to EIS AGM

The AGM is divided into a number of discrete sessions each with its own particular item of business to be overtaken.

The Formal Opening Session

This session embodies the traditions of the Institute which was founded in 1847. The President welcomes the guests from kindred organisations in the United Kingdom and Ireland, together with other trade union and official guests. One of these guests replies. The President then gives his/her retiring address.

The Convener of the Board of Examiners then presents the members who have been admitted as Fellows of The Educational Institute of Scotland at a meeting of Fellows held earlier in the afternoon. The new Fellows in the ordinary category are those who have been recommended by their Local Associations and accepted by the Board of Examiners. There may also be one or more Fellows in the special or honorary category that is, "persons who have rendered signal service to education”. The Convener gives a special oration on each of the special/honorary category Fellows. One of the new Fellows replies on behalf of himself/herself and his/her colleagues.

The incoming President (Phil Jackson, Angus) and Vice-President (Tommy Castles, South Lanarkshire) are then introduced to the meeting and make short speeches. The outgoing President (Susan Quinn, Glasgow) and Vice-President (Phil Jackson) are then presented with badges commemorating their year of office. The final business of the formal session is the declaration of the election of the incoming Council.

First Business Session

It is an important function of the Annual General Meeting to review the work of Council and its Committees undertaken during the previous session. This work comes before the consideration of motions dealing with new policies. Constitutionally, the AGM must either, approve, disapprove or amend every decision taken by Council during the previous year.

Subsequent Business Sessions

Once the decisions of Council (and its Committees) for the previous year have been approved, changes to the EIS Constitution are then considered followed by the election of AGM delegates to the Standing Orders Committee, Disciplinary Committee and Appeals Committee.

Consideration of Motions and Amendments

The remainder of the Annual General Meeting is taken up with debating the motions and amendments which have been submitted by Council, Local Associations and Self-Governing Associations.  The motions and amendments are grouped into subject headings and blocks of time are allocated to motions under each heading.  The principal subject headings for debate are as follows:

This year there are 52 motions to be debated as follows:

• 19 on Education matters;
• 9 on Employment Relations matters;
• 6 on Equality matters;
• 9 on Salaries matters;
• 9 on Organisation matters.

Fringe and other events

The EIS operates a number of fringe events at the AGM, offering the opportunity for external organisations to speak to delegates in order to raise awareness of key issues.  Also this year, for the first time, the EIS will invite an external speaker to address the entire AGM on the Saturday.  Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Mike Russell MSP has accepted the invitation to speak to AGM this year.