EDUCATION looks set to climb down over the need for a comprehensive management review of the department. The recommendation was made by Lt-Bailiff Richard Southwell when he rejected a judicial review into the dismissal of Jane Stephens as head of Mont Varouf School on technical and legal grounds.

Education wanted a narrower review concentrating solely on the dismissal, but now, threatened with a requete on the issue, it is giving ground.

‘I recently wrote to the Education Department, both as an individual and as part of a large group of States members, expressing concerns over their plans for two separate independent reviews of the working of that department,’ said Deputy Jean Pritchard.

‘I was worried that neither proposed review would address the concerns of the Lt-Bailiff as set out in the recent judgement and those of myself and the majority of other States members.’

Animated discussions between Deputy Pritchard and Education members took place outside the States chamber during last week’s debate.

A copy of the requete was also circulated.

‘Following dialogue with the Education Department, I am now satisfied that the politicians in that department have a genuine wish to see a review established which will address all the legitimate concerns expressed by the parties,’ she said.

‘They clearly realise that anything less than an independent assessment of the operation of the department which addresses the real concerns outlined in the court judgement and the various letters from States members will fail to clear the air and allow the department to move forward with its vital task of providing the best possible education for the local population.’

She added that the key to achieving that would be the selection of the right party to carry out the assessment and setting the right terms of reference to allow a thorough review of Education’s operation to the satisfaction of all concerned.

‘At this stage, those of us who have been pressing from the outside have to simply keep a watching brief while these issues are addressed,’ said Deputy Pritchard.

‘If we are not satisfied, then we will pursue the issue further, but as I said before, we are convinced that there is now a real will to satisfy our initial concerns.

‘We would remind all concerned that if this review is to be objective, it is important for no one to prejudge any of the issues to be considered.’

Education minister Martin Ozanne said the department was glad that those who had signed the requete had now permitted it to have sufficient time to be able to deal appropriately with the concerns.

He declined to comment further.