Post-16 education taught in patched-up buildings
POST-16 education in Guernsey is being delivered in ‘patched-up buildings’ worse than any in the UK, where learners are having to wear coats in lectures and machinery and equipment is covered over ‘so it stays dry when the rain comes in’.
That was the bleak assessment of Education, Sport & Culture president Andrea Dudley-Owen, pictured, yesterday as she updated members on her committee's work.
She urged the Assembly to back Policy & Resources’ initial decision to prioritise the building of the Les Ozouets campus rather than the completion of the modernisation of the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.
The campus is intended to house both The Guernsey Institute and a new sixth form in purpose-built accommodation which would bring all post-16 education together, in contrast to the several scattered sites used by the College of Further Education over recent decades.
However, the States terminated the involvement of chosen contractor RG Falla last year and has yet to find a builder.
Despite this setback, Deputy Dudley-Owen told members her committee was ‘at a more advanced stage than previously’.
HR processes had started to bring stability to secondary education ‘after 10-plus years of uncertainty’.
‘It is absolutely essential we keep in mind that there are people at the centre of these processes,’ she said.
‘People with a vocational calling that we have sorely tested in recent years.’
When the building work had been expected to go ahead as planned, TGI’s students and lecturers vacated the old building at Les Ozouets and are now having lessons in temporary accommodation elsewhere.
‘We are operating from patched-up buildings described by an external expert quite some time ago as among the worst in the UK for the delivery of post-16 education,’ she said.
‘And they are now worse than that – we are covering up machinery and equipment, so it stays dry when the rain comes in.
‘Learners have been wearing coats in lectures in the middle of winter due to heating issues.
‘Are we really prepared to say that these are suitable learning environments to inspire the next generation of engineers, electricians, child-care providers or public sector workers?’
Deputy Dudley-Owen said ESC was running out of viable buildings from which to deliver post-16 education, making the continued prioritisation of the new campus essential.
‘Guernsey’s education system needs to move forwards for the future success of the island. It is neither fair nor reasonable to reintroduce new uncertainty and instability and expect people to carry on regardless.’
The States will revisit and potentially revise its list of priorities during the Government Work Plan debate which is scheduled to begin on mid-July.
The list of capital projects was already due to be scaled back but is likely to be shortened still further following the failure of the States to agree on any significant revenue-raising measures during their tax review debates of January and February.
