At yesterday’s inaugural primary schools’ congress are, from the left, Caithlin McCauley, Emily Mills, Deputy Matt Fallaize, Stephanie Crame and Brett Hewlett. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0579699)

CHILDREN had the opportunity to discuss key issues with deputies at yesterday’s inaugural primary schools’ congress. Pupils from every Guernsey primary and from Alderney gathered at the Peninsula Hotel to talk about issues such as alcohol and tobacco, the environment and bullying.

Those from different schools were mixed and in groups discussed their ideas for solutions to these problems with the deputy assigned to their team. Alun Williams, lifelong learning manager at Education, said the idea for the congress had come after a young people’s survey last year.

‘We wanted to give them an opportunity to meet  politicians and share some of their ideas,’ he said. ‘Through the school councils’ structure that we have, we got them to gather the different ideas from their schools and present them to deputies today.’

Ideas put included putting the drinking and smoking age up and reducing speed limits to improve road safety. Mr Williams said the deputies who attended would take away some of the children’s ideas.