Funds going on teachers’ perks
IT IS truly ironic that the clearest evidence yet that Guernsey needs urgent improvements to its education system comes from the fact that 22 of our elected representatives voted to spend £157m. of tax revenue to let the Education, Sport & Culture department build state-of-the-art sport, leisure and recreation facilities for teaching staff to enjoy, even if they will have to share these new facilities with teenagers from time to time.
Where did our esteemed deputies learn that the highest quality and efficiency could be delivered by a monopoly supplier managed by civil servants with no relevant qualifications or experience in running large organisations?
Of course, they will be under the control of a group of equally ill-equipped politicians who have previously shown zero aptitude for the task. Is this what is being taught in history and economics classes in Guernsey?
To justify the £157m. spending, ESC quoted from the reports of inspectors and surveyors that painted a depressing picture of a service in crisis and housed in buildings that were semi-derelict or unfit for purpose, including some built recently.
Hang on a minute though. Who was responsible for letting schools fall into this state? That was ESC. So who is going to achieve a miraculous transformation of education in Guernsey? Naturally, that task will be given to ESC. Does anyone really believe that the department responsible for creating the mess will be capable of turning it around?
The major changes that ESC have forced through the States were not prompted by any public outcry or under pressure from the UK government, so why did ESC embark on a difficult, time-consuming, controversial and risky task? Was there any other group with ready access to the department that was keen to provide teachers with enviable working conditions and almost no enforceable performance targets?
Since there is no sign that any alternative model for education was given serious consideration, the suspicion must exist that ESC is simply implementing a plan designed by teachers’ trade unions for the benefit of their members with no thought given to the needs of pupils or the concerns of parents.
Once they had completed their takeover of ESC, deputies Fallaize, Graham, Tooley, Roffey and Dorey had the opportunity to create an education system for the island that would give future generations the skills needed to face the challenges of the 21st century.
Instead, they have chosen to waste our money on perks for teachers.
How 22 of our great and good could have been convinced that this was a good idea is beyond my understanding.
BARRIE PAIGE,
GY6 8BP.