Looking for compromise on colleges?
THE role played by the three grant-aided colleges should be clear to all, not just the parents of the 30% of local children educated in their classrooms.
This figure is significantly higher than it would be in any equivalent jurisdiction in the UK, though we can’t be sure if this speaks positively to the colleges or negatively to the States system and the island’s high schools.
The question of whether the best part of £3m. is best spent supporting the colleges, or could be better used elsewhere, is unclear, particularly as the whole debate has been framed in rather woolly fashion.
The colleges are lobbying hard to keep their money, indeed, to see it increase. But while it remains as an undefined, unspecific lump sum, we’re not clear whether this represents a discount for parents paying fees, more and better books in the libraries, or supports capital spending projects.
Efforts appear to have been made to depersonalise the debate and dodge the argument that if a parent can afford £15,000, then can’t they afford £17,000 a year? But that will inevitably be raised in debate this week.
The suspicion is, however they may have framed the debate and negotiations, ESC sees the value of the colleges and doesn’t really want to take them on, but can’t justify an unstructured ‘policy conflict’ in doing so – leaving the door open this week to possible compromise.