Gorst: “Education must focus on standards, not structure”

Friday 25 September 2015

Ministers are focussing on raising standards in schools and say that reform of the education system – including the role of Hautlieu and the relationship with the fee-paying schools – is not being considered.

Chief Minister Ian Gorst, who made education one of the key priorities over the next three years, says that ministers are focussing on doing what they can to raise standards, including giving schools more independence and authority to manage their own budgets.

There’s a new team at the Education department, with a new minister – Deputy Rod Bryans – and a new chief officer, as well as new heads at Highlands College and Hautlieu.

But Senator Gorst says that team is focussing on making the current system work without getting embroiled in a difficult and divisive debate about Jersey’s selective education system.

He said: “What is the most important thing? It’s about everyone reaching the potential they can, and raising standards for everyone, and that’s what the minister and the chief officer are absolutely committed to.

“Both the minister and the new chief officer have been talking about that for months and that is why there is extra money in the Medium Term Financial Plan for them. The reform of the education system, I think, is secondary to raising everyone’s standards and helping them to reach their potential and if you do all that you can use the current system.”

And the Senator added that any change to the way that the education system works would be undertaken slowly.

He said: “Last time someone tried to change our system there was absolute uproar so we have got to get people to think about standards right across the board. These issues are going to be fairly slow burn.

“We cannot just continue to dictate to schools or parents , I think that we need to engage with them.”