Education struggles to find allies in Assembly
DEPUTIES have been grappling over a vote of confidence in the ability of Education, Sport & Culture to lead an independent review into the future of local schools.
It followed the States decision earlier this month to halt the two-school model, which was the vision of the current committee.
The latest policy letter from Education has 12 propositions to establish a framework and criteria to the ‘pause and review’.
Most of yesterday afternoon centred around a crucial ‘back us or sack us’ proposition, and the debate will resume this morning.
Members commented that at times the see-saw discussion felt like round two or ‘Groundhog day’ from the debate on the ‘pause and review’ requete earlier this month.
The latest plans from Education were either welcomed as providing clarity, or criticised as thumbing noses at the requete.
In the latter category was Deputy Peter Ferbrache, who referred to his ‘political antennae’ and declared that the committee did not have the confidence of teachers or the community.
He used the lyrics of the 1965 Moody Blues hit ‘Go Now’ to express his feelings.
‘I say to Deputy Fallaize and his committee – go now, go now, go now.
‘You’ve lost the confidence of the public.’
Deputy Neil Inder thought that the committee was ‘dancing on a pin head’ and that the Assembly was being asked to suspend disbelief that ESC were the right people to carry out the pause and review.
‘Can you honestly believe that a committee that is absolutely against it will look at this in an open and transparent way without having any political sentiment over the top of it.’
Deputy Rob Prow called the latest set of plans ‘unhelpful and unnecessary’ and he believed ESC was splitting hairs.
‘Why on earth does ESC need a resolution from the States to draw up a plan to hold stakeholder engagement to inform the review, this could have been started the day after the debate.
‘The committee just needs to take heed of the spirit of the resolutions and get on with this.’
Strong words also came from Deputy Carl Meerveld, who had no confidence in the committee or its latest proposals.
‘I don’t think this clarifies the requete, I think it’s more designed to subvert it.’
Railing against the political mudslinging that has been a feature of the education debate, was Deputy Jennifer Merrett.
She wanted to hear more about how ESC was going to win back the confidence of teachers and the community, but she welcomed the chance to give proper structure to the review.
‘It could have been a lot simpler, but I do believe it is trying to give some clarity and consistency, trying to add communication ...and I do appreciate the clarity on models.’
