All teachers, who are serving in the school at the time of the election, are entitled to vote. Teachers who are on career break, or on extended study leave, or on leave as a public representative, or seconded to the Department, and not currently serving in the school, are ineligible.

As elections are required to be held one month ahead of the commencement of the period of office of a Board (i.e. elections should precede August 1st, the starting date of the Board’s term of office) there may be cases of teachers who are resigning on July 31st voting in the election of a Board which will not take up office until they are no longer teachers in the school. Conversely, a teacher who is on career break, but due to return to the school from August 1st, is ineligible to vote in the same election.

Notwithstanding such anomalous situations, Boards are obliged to adhere to the requirements of the DEED OF TRUST, First Schedule-Instrument of Management, Section 3 (a), paragraphs (iv) and (ix). However, while the Deed of Trust specifies that eligibility to participate in the election is confined to Permanent Wholetime Teachers, legislation requires that part time and temporary staff should enjoy equal status with their permanent colleagues.

It is important to note that teachers who are on sick leave, maternity leave, or other approved leave, e.g., adoptive leave, sports leave, leave for jury service, have full eligibility to vote and to offer themselves as candidates. It is necessary, therefore, that Boards should inform such teachers by letter of the forthcoming elections and advise them of the nomination and voting procedures and relevant dates.