P&R says more clarity needed over future of colleges
EDUCATION's proposal to cut college funding by 80% 'lacks any supporting rationale', the States' senior committee has said.
Policy & Resources president Deputy Gavin St Pier has called on the committee to clarify what its future vision for the three colleges actually is.
Earlier this month, the Education, Sport & Culture Committee outlined its plans to cut the annual subsidy to the colleges from £4.4m. in 2016/17 to £900,000 by 2025/26.
At current pupil numbers across Elizabeth College, Ladies' College and Blanchelande, this would equate to a subsidy of just £816 per pupil.
Deputy St Pier said Education needed to explain how it arrived at that figure before the committee's policy letter is debated on in the States.
'The policy letter does not provide any clarity on this matter and in the absence of a redefinition of the position of the colleges in Guernsey's education system and the policy objective, it is not possible to assess whether the proposed future funding arrangements are appropriate,' he said.
'It is clear that the proposed funding of £816 per pupil has been arrived at as simply a mathematical computation of current funding level per pupil and any supporting rationale is absent.'
