Parents still in dark over school closures

EDUCATION was criticised yesterday for its handling of primary school closures. Parents and teachers are today still in the dark about the future of St Sampson's Infants and La Mare de Carteret and St Andrew's primary schools.

La Mare de Carteret Parent-Teacher Association committee member Jon Bisson said that if a decision had been made, parents should be told.

'It's ridiculous. It has been very poorly handled,' he said.

'It is a shame it has happened this way because it has made parents, teachers and students uneasy about what is going on,' said Mr Bisson.

Worried parents contacted the Guernsey Press yesterday as they searched for answers to the Education Department's decision.

Deputy Education Minister Wendy Morgan confirmed that a public announcement would be made on Friday and parents would be told of the news 'simultaneously'.

On the day after head teachers made a last-ditch plea to the Education Board to save their schools, they were still unsure of the future.

All three yesterday confirmed that they had not been given any information about whether their school was likely to close.

Deputy Morgan would not say what had been decided, but that 'a decision has been made in part'.

'We will be writing to parents simultaneously.

'It would be bad manners for us not to inform parents.

'We will give the latest information on what we are thinking at the moment,' she said.

Deputy David De Lisle, a former head teacher, said delays in Education's announcement of a decision were causing disruption in schools.

'My own feeling is that this has not been good for the children or the staff of the schools or the community and parishes involved.

'It has caused a lot of disruption and uncertainty.

'Education should be looking at providing an atmosphere of certainty with regard to young people's futures,' he said.

Deputy De Lisle said he had received calls from anxious parents of children at La Mare de Carteret.

'They have been very concerned, particularly about the excellent reviews the school has been getting, showing that you cannot really obtain a better educational start in life than in this school,' he said.

'I don't believe it is necessary to be going in this direction.'

St Andrew's Primary PTA yesterday was the first to launch a campaign to save its school.