Commitment does little but create doubt

Would Education politicians and civil servants approach reform of the secondary education system differently as a result? If they felt closing a school was the wrong thing to do for the thousands of students and hundreds of teachers would they feel constrained by the States vote? Of course not.

And even if they did and returned to the States with a direct proposal to, say, close St Sampson's High School or turn it into a tertiary college would the States be committed to accept that recommendation? No.

If, during consultation, head teachers, secondary teachers and civil servants advise the Education board to keep the Grammar School would the department ignore their input because the States had tied their hands months earlier and something had to close? No.

So what is the value of the commitment? States deputies should know by now that, under the current system of government, there is no central control over autonomous departments. Education cannot be forced to do something it does not believe in any more than Environment could be forced to bring forward paid parking proposals when most of its members were implacably opposed.

It is excusable for the independent review panel chairman not to understand how local politics works, less so for the Treasury board.

The same logic applies to the Bebb/Dorey amendment seeking to delay any decision until Education has returned with full proposals for secondary education. Would anyone really expect that report not to include proposals to rebuild La Mare?

And with a general election just around the corner those then pinning their hopes on a clear direction on education will find vote-conscious deputies keen to avoid unpopular decisions.

Even if the report is voted on without delay a new Education board and Assembly will be elected shortly afterwards and there can be no guarantees that a decision, say, to end 11-plus selection will not be reversed by popular demand a few months later.

So a commitment to cut to three schools does little but put more doubt into the minds of every pupil, parent and teacher.