Do not use election as education 'referendum'

Granted, unlike in their consultation process, the committee was unable to analyse the background of the attendees in order to assess the validity of their arguments. But many introduced themselves, and we heard articulate opposition from a wide cross-section of the public, including a former state secondary school pupil and a number of representatives of the teaching profession.

But the most damning opposition we have heard so far has come from the Treasury and Resources committee, who state that 'It is extremely disappointed that absolutely no measures of value or benefits have been included in the policy letter to enable the success of any investment to be measured in the future'.

The public debate was interesting and valuable as an exercise in engaging the public in a discussion on the principles of fairness and equality in our education system, and how things might in the long-term be improved, as surely they can and should be.

But as an exercise in persuading the audience that the minister and his committee are making the most of our existing resources – including, most importantly, our very high-performing grant-aided colleges – and demonstrating that their proposals are financially sustainable, the presentation was convincing only in their failings in these areas.

This set of proposals is nowhere near ready to bring to the States. By its own admission, the committee has not had enough time to complete the job. What was worrying is that the minister suggested that if this States voted in these measures and the islanders didn't like it, they could demonstrate their dissatisfaction at the next General Election. It is unacceptable to turn our election into some form of imperfect referendum on this single issue.

He also resorted to the hackneyed cliche of not wishing 'the can to be kicked down the road'. In this form, his committee's policy letter is no more than a dented old can and if not kicked down the road, it should be thrown in the recycling bin to be made into something of practical use.

NIGEL DE LA RUE,

Crosstrees,

Ville Baudu,

Vale.