Education cuts on cards unless it gets money
Monday 2nd February 2009, 2:29PM GMT.
THE Education Department is in need of financial help, according to its minister, Carol Steere (pictured).
After her department’s proposal to close St Sampson’s Infants School to save money was rejected by the States, she said money had to come from somewhere or it would have to make cuts.
‘Our budget is fully stretched and it will be difficult to make any savings without looking at frontline services.
‘I wonder if some other departments could look to see if some funds could go to education,’ she said.
She hoped Culture and Leisure minister Mike O’Hara meant what he said.
‘Deputy O’Hara said he would be happy to have the Commerce and Employment budget reduced to give some more money to education.
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Did Minister O’Hara actaully says”Deputy O’Hara said he would be happy to have the Commerce and Employment budget reduced to give some more money to education”
Understandable that he is brassed of with Commerce and Employment, but a little too much to give away part of their budget.
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I hope our education department has not utilised UK consultants in the past, whereas their area of expertise was influenced by running systems heavily criticised by the shadow government of today. If so, perhaps there are bigger savings to be made without touching the ‘headline’ zones.
I recall working for a company once, where suggestions for cutting costs amounted to maximum inconvience to staff and moral, whereas far bigger savings were eventually made that virtually nobody knew about. Of course, in the States, you’re not likely to get front page publicity for those types of savings.
Now what was that somebody said, look at the huge IT budget!
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I have mentioned before, why is the Music service not given the same attention as it only offers free instrument tuition to selected pupils. This will add up to several thousand pounds each to the lucky ones over thier school life. As this level of support is not offered to Drama, Dance or Sports students I and many like me cannot see why it needs to exist. I am sure some may argue the merits of seeing the children in orchestras etc However all schools offer Music in the curriculam and music making in choirs and school orchestras. The music centre is funded by parents and fund raisers by the Friends so why are free instrument lessons given. I wonder if Education would offer what savings could be made or is this another example of ‘a difficult question’ depending on whose children are benefitting.
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As soon as there is any threat to budgets Ministers threaten frontline service cuts. We’ve seen it in HSSD and in Home in the past.
Incapable of dealing with internal inefficiencies Ministers tend to hang out the uniformed staff. Cynical, indicative of an inefficient system and just plain wrong.
It’s the shaft of the spear that’s broken, not the tip.
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Devil’s Advoate
Yes, Education use consultants, most of whom are the “fancy idea, but rubbish content” merchants peddling the latest UK crackerjack ideas.
If the Education Department was in charge of the Sahara Desert, in five years time, there would be no sand left in the desert.
Picking off Education and its policy letters, is becoming far too easy. A bit like doing the Mirror crossword compared with the Times crossword.
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One of Sam Maindonald’s arguments for closing her parish school was that she didn’t want the Music Service to face cuts….wondering if there is an undeclared interest here – do her daughters receive free music lessons?
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SJ – I thought as much. I guess too many people in management positions do just that, no real ‘leaders’ who think for themselves and are willing to draw upon the experience and ideas of others within the island.
Paul – Music lessons etc.. are very small elements, but would ensure maximum public outcry. Why? because Deputy Steere accepts what’s told and wants an easy life by aiming to get an increase in her budget. Cutting out music lessons would be like a company cutting back on realms of paper and boxes of paper clips.
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Devils Advocate- Who defines what is a small element, I for one would not see a reduction of 10 or more staff plus all other associated costs as small. Put that across all depts who will have similar small services and you would have the 10% savings the states have been told are thier targets. Also I think you will find that private companies have already cut back on stationery budgets as a way of saving money. The sooner people grasp the nettle that savings, no matter how unpopular, HAVE to be made the better we will all be.
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In the business plan produced by the policy council, under the list of objectives for Education, are, to finalise workforce reform and to achieve pre-school provision in partnership.
I guess that workforce reform is the area for savings. At the end of 2007 there were 82 public service employees and 148 established staff not counting teachers and assistants.
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DA
The establlshment figure for teachers in 2007 was 672.
Looks like a fair amount of savings is possible from the army of administrators and advisers that support Education.
Your comment about Deputy Steere accepting what’s told is of particular interest in relation to last week’s debate. Did she take to much on trust? Was she aware of the contradiction’s in the Billet paper?
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Not allowing existing teachers first refusal of clerical administration jobs in Education ahead of non-teachers with probably better clerical skills would be a start. As its deemed to be a continuation of employment with the same employer, apparently they keep their same teachers’ paid annual holiday entitlement (is that 13/14 weeks ?), when a non-teacher would only get 5/6 weeks for doing the same job. Add that up and that must mean staff having to be employed on the payroll to cover for holidays alone, which doesn’t seem to be a great utilisation of taxpayers’ money. I know of several former teachers who have made that move, and who find the holiday entitlement extremely attractive compared to a move to a job in the private sector (not to mention the pension benefits as well).
Is the above an accurate summary of what happens or I have been misinformed ?
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David
Sounds very much as it was and probably still is.
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