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It's been confirmed the Director of Education, who will oversee wide-ranging changes to Guernsey's secondary education system, was appointed to the role despite never applying for it.
Andrew Warren has been given the role on a fixed term basis, after initially sitting on the recruitment panel which failed to find a suitable candidate for the post.
Two formal applications were received by the committee when they first put out the advert - both from current employees of the States with the correct qualifications -but Mr Warren, despite not applying initially, has ended up with the job.
Pictured: Deputy Andrea Dudley Owen asked the Rule 14 questions, which under States rules, the ESC President had to answer.
This information has been revealed through a set of questions asked by a former Education Deputy, Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen. She, and the rest of her committee, were replaced by the current committee under Deputy Matt Fallaize after the vote for the two school model. Mr Warren was initially appointed to that new committee as a non-voting member, and since found himself on the panel looking for the new director.
But Education said Mr Warren did not approve either the job description or terms of employment, and the salary for the role was externally evaluated prior to any recruitment activity.
When it came to considering the two applied candidates, the panel deferred a decision on the day of the interviews, pending receipt of outstanding feedback from contributors to the assessment process undertaken in the workshops. The panel decided not to appoint either candidate on Friday 25 May.
Mr Warren did not have a vote on this panel, and therefore was not directly involved in the candidates' rejection.
In answering the questions, a spokesperson for Education said: "At no point did Mr Warren offer himself as an applicant for the role. Following the panel’s decision not to make an appointment, Mr Warren was approached by the President and Vice President, Education, Sport & Culture to explore whether he would be willing to consider a fixed term appointment as Director of Education. This was done with the full knowledge and support of the Committee.
"The panel did not formally reconvene but the President of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, who had been on the panel, made the approach to Mr Warren together with the Committee’s Vice-President.
"A paper setting out the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture’s request for Mr Warren’s appointment was considered and agreed by the Policy & Resources Committee at its meeting on 4 June 2018, as the appointment is a Policy & Resources appointment under the Education Law."
Deputy Fallaize said Express was incorrect to previously report Mr Warren was appointed without an interview. Express asked on what date this interview was held and ESC has confirmed it took place on Wednesday 30 May.
Pictured top: Andrew Warren.
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