TWO schools remain on the closure list, Education has announced. But La Mare de Carteret Primary has been reprieved.
Parents at St Andrew’s Primary were close to tears yesterday when their fears were confirmed, although its fate will not be certain until later in the year.
Education member Dan Le Cheminant resigned from the board following the decision to consider closing St Andrew’s and St Sampson’s Infant schools.
‘I can find no valid educational reason to close our primary schools,’ said the island’s longest-serving politician.
‘We should be investing in our young people and looking to improve facilities.
‘With the board considering to close St Andrew’s and St Sampson’s Infant, I feel we are not supporting them enough,’ he said.
Education minister Martin Ozanne said other schools would have space for the pupils.
‘Numbers have fallen considerably over the past few years and are projected to fall even further until 2020, when they will stabilise much below our current numbers.
‘With the pressures on States expenditure, the Education budget and our commitment to continue to develop our education system within the budget available to us, it was the board’s duty to look at the number of surplus places in the primary schools.’
He said it was also reviewing the way nursery education could be provided.
‘Our commitment to this is in the Government Business Plan and we are convinced of its educational benefit to the island.
‘When nursery education is introduced, funding will be required from additional States funding as well as from savings made in other areas of education, such as by reducing the number of spare places in the primary sector.
‘Therefore, until the nursery education report is produced, as outlined in the Government Business Plan - this will not happen until the end of autumn of this year - the board will not be in a position to make a definite recommendation to the States on the closure of any schools.’
Article posted on 18th January, 2008 - 12.00am
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