Deputies Andrea Dudley-Owen and Rob Prow failed in their attempts to bring a two-month postponement to the debate and force Education, Sport & Culture to come up with business cases for different education models.
The Assembly voted by 26-13 to throw out the idea of a delay, the overall mood among States members was that the public wanted a decision, and they had to seize the day and provide direction and certainty for students, parents and teachers.
ESC is asking for £157m of capital funding for the education transformation project, which has become one of the most divisive and far-reaching issues of this political term.
Former committee member Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen made a plea for side-by-side business cases to be drawn up for a two- school model, three-school model, and four-school selective model so that politicians could make an informed choice at their November debate instead.
She criticised Education’s policy letter as opaque, and lacking in financial detail and accountability, and she warned against making a decision of such magnitude on the hoof.
‘I ask that the Education, Sport & Culture committee can prove to the Assembly that their plan will work, and to give us the confidence and me the confidence that even if some might disagree with the thrust of the ideological debate that we can all be convinced that their plan is feasible.’
Most of yesterday’s debate was spent discussing whether the two month adjournment to allow for further investigations was a good idea or not.
A significant number of deputies wanted to give long speeches on the matter, and first out of the traps was Education member Deputy Peter Roffey.
He said that any delay would be hugely damaging and irresponsible, and that there was no public appetite for a ‘political merry-go-round’, a ‘policy U-turn’ or ‘another expensive trip around the mulberry bush.’
Former teacher Deputy Jane Stephens agreed with that sentiment and called the sursis a ‘trap door’ and said it was an attempt to stop what had already started, ‘the horse has bolted’ she declared.
There were passionate speeches on both sides, but at around 4pm States members took a vote and the motion to delay was thrown out.
An amendment from the senior committee – Policy & Resources – calling for delegated authority to put more checks and balances into the mammoth overhaul project was passed.
However, another amendment from P&R which asked for the rebuild of La Mare de Carteret Primary School to be temporarily taken out of the equation, was rejected.
The States meeting will resume today with two further amendments to get through before debate starts on the main policy letter.
The voting so far has given a strong indication that Deputy Matt Fallaize’s Education committee will be successful, and the two new 11-18 comprehensive schools will be developed at St Sampson’s and Les Beaucamps.
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