Deputy Education minister Wendy Morgan.
THE Policy Council, according to two Education members, should tackle any problem with civil servants at their department.
Deputies Wendy Morgan, the deputy minister, and Hunter Adam have released a joint letter in response to the education management review carried out by Dr Trevor Robinson. ‘The only issue we have with Dr Robinson’s report is his statement that the new Education board must take the report forward.
‘The Policy Council is deemed to be the employer of all civil servants. If questions are raised in relation to civil servants the new council must grapple with the problems and consequences.’
Education members have been criticised for their lack of public response since the review was published.
‘The review has been variously criticised for not laying the finger of blame, for asking questions and giving no answers, for not giving firm recommendations, for being lightweight and whimsical, for delaying change by giving responsibility to the new Education board after the election,’ they said.
‘It has also been seen as a vindication, confirming that the island has been well served by the Education Department, with the review’s recognition that “just about everybody is convinced that there have been a great many very positive changes over the last 10 years” and “the community should be proud of and grateful to those who have done so much”.’
The pair said that these differing responses further substantiate Dr Robinson’s central dilemma – that the ‘problems’ in Education are seen very differently by different people and that there is no sign of any emerging meeting of minds.
The report says that aspects of the present structure and ways of operating are not tenable in the longer term.
It identified issues of the roles and responsibilities of politicians and their relationship with senior management officers.
These issues are the subject of another review of the role of the States as employer which is expected to be finalised in the next four weeks.
‘The Jane Stephens case, which was the catalyst for the eruption of complaints against the department, highlights the very real difficulties in dealing with States employees who are considered by working colleagues to be unsuitable for their position.
‘Such problems, in our experience, are not confined to Education,’ said the two deputies.
Mrs Stephens was sacked as head teacher of Le Rondin, but subsequently won an unfair dismissal claim.
Dr Robinson’s investigation questioned whether deputies were justified in publicly criticising named officers.
And it said that there were widespread criticisms of Policy Council staff as both interfering in day-to-day matters and not being sufficiently supportive in other respects.
‘We believe the report must be read in total to understand its full meaning, the complexities and interactions of the various parties that are involved,’ they said.
‘Highlighting certain sections or taking phrases out of context may give a skewed view of the overall situation.’
The report clearly shows that the standards of education are very good in Guernsey, they said.
Article posted on 15th March, 2008 - 8.58am
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