Herm school cost a mere pittance
EDUCATION, SPORT & CULTURE continues to reiterate its belief that keeping Herm’s primary school open was not a good idea for pupils or taxpayers, highlighting the cost to ESC being an additional £87,000 per year compared to the cost of educating Herm-based children at Vauvert School.
The additional cost to ESC is a mere pittance next to the benefits derived to the States of Guernsey totalling well over £1m. a year from income taxes paid by resident and seasonal staff and customs-excise and import duties on beer, cider, spirits, tobacco and wine from Herm.
The extension of the lease in 2017 to Herm Island Ltd was negotiated in good faith to secure the future sustainability of Herm and in full knowledge of both parties that the school played a vital part in recruitment and retention of staff on Herm.
Herm school remains critical for the island’s future and has been tantamount to its success over the past 60 years. Recruitment of key staff with families would fall away without it.
The announcement that the island’s CEO is to leave his role and the island as his two children are approaching secondary school age testifies to the very difficult staff retention problem without on-island schooling for children on Herm. (His eldest daughter starts secondary school in September and his other daughter is only a year behind.)
With younger children reaching school age and Herm actively recruiting for a number of new permanent staff, the expectation is that a new intake of children will begin to emerge.
That the children will not have to endure passages to Guernsey every day for their school lessons during the wintry weather is a great relief.
Deputy David De Lisle
Le Douit Farm
Les Reveaux
Rue des Fontenils
St Peter’s