Two schools the perfect route for pupils’ education
CONCERNING the ongoing controversy regarding the proposals to provide two completely new self-sufficient high schools on the (enlarged) sites of St Sampson’s and Les Beaucamps, with comprehensive, dedicated bus services to each... there are a lot of protestors; deputies, teachers and the public.
But, ignoring the pure self-interest from some teachers, I honestly think half the protestors haven’t absorbed the basic concept yet, and not even accepted the long overdue need for it. It’s the ‘head in the sand’ mentality – they want little ‘community’ schools, at all levels.
That’s perfect for infants and juniors, almost parish schools. But then, at senior level for years now, we have had a ‘sticking plaster/mish-mash of campus’ facilities all over the island, just making use of several badly-sited, too-small school premises that should never have been built, all because no new school was big enough or self-sufficient.
For 20 years, the curriculums at the high schools and Grammar were determined by the closeness of additional amenities. It has all been an expensive, blinkered ‘patch-up’.
No individual deputies were bright enough or brave enough to get together, stand up against initial opposition, and clearly state how things should be done... they were each eyeing up the next election.
Guernsey is a small but relatively highly populated area, and two new modern, self-sufficient schools at enlarged sites at St Sampson’s and Les Beaucamps is the perfect route for the future education that Guernsey pupils deserve.
TONY BRADLEY
GY2 4TX.