Extra value?
THE uncertainty over the future funding of the Guernsey Sports Commission highlights the potentially precarious position of many of the service providers islanders take for granted.
It also follows the announcement in March that Education, Sport and Culture would be scrapping the grant to the Dyslexia Day Centre.
What’s next? Guernsey Arts? The Music Centre? The Schools’ Library Service?
The question is, while these are all nice-to-haves, should it be government’s responsibility to fund them?
It could be argued that such offerings should form part of the existing school curriculum. After all, schools already offer PE, music and art lessons – isn’t that enough?
But schools can’t do everything and extracurricular activities in out-of-school settings can provide children with a range of benefits, offering them the opportunity to discover new interests, learn new skills, meet and socialise with like-minded peers and become more well-rounded and engaged individuals.
There are many privately run sports clubs, creative classes and dance, drama and music schools in the island and they do a great job – but they cost money.
While many Guernsey families are willing and able to pay, there are many others who simply can’t afford it.
According to gov.gg, ESC’s purpose is ‘to encourage human development by maximising opportunities for participation and excellence through education, learning, sport and culture at every stage of life’.
Providing funding to organisations such as the Sports Commission would appear to fit that remit, but there might be other options worth exploring, such as introducing an extra-curricular bursary scheme for those families that need it.
Some cutbacks might be inevitable, but the value of accessible extra-curricular activities should not be underestimated.