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An attempt to modernise Guernsey’s Education Law has been pulled after the Policy Letter was “extensively mauled” over three days, with dozens of successful amendments altering Education, Sport and Culture’s initial propositions.
ESC was attempting to update Guernsey’s decades old Education Law. While the core intent was welcomed by the Assembly, the specifics of the Policy Letter were heavily criticised and amended.
Over the course of three days a total of 18 amendments were laid against the original Policy Letter, removing ESC’s oversight of independent schools, cutting out the ability to fine parents/carers of children absent from school, and removing a suggested means testing proposition for home educated students who wish to take States funded exams, among many others.
The ensuing debate was dubbed “incredibly tricky” by Deputy Lyndon Trott, who was the first to speak after a motion to withdraw the Policy Letter was lodged by the President of ESC, Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen.
“In my 23 years I have never seen such an extensive mauling, in the sense that this is extraordinarily heavily amended,” said Deputy Trott. “I think we must all learn from that experience.”
Pictured: Deputy Trott.
“This assembly has made its view on numerous aspects of this proposed law and those wishes must be followed,” said Deputy Trott, who argued that ESC must come back before the current assembly with an altered Policy Letter, informed by further consultation.
"If ESC do not return with a report to this assembly, which reflects the successful amendments, then they run the risk - a high risk - of a motion of no confidence, which I believe would attract a long list of proposers, which would include me.”
Deputy Gavin St Pier argued that it would be better to vote on a motion to withdraw further in the debate, after the lunch recess, which he argued might sway some people’s decision to simply cut debate off. He also suggested that the assembly should have their say on the remaining amendments before the entire debate gets culled.
His sentiment was echoed by Deputy Heidi Soulsby, who was brutally honest about the way the debate had panned out.
"[The debate] has been a complete car crash for [ESC]… and [the motion to withdraw] will put them out of their misery.
“I think it is important that the Committee does have direction on those amendments that are outstanding, and I would also like confirmation from the Committee that they will go away and actually undertake effective meaningful engagement with all stakeholders this time.
“Because, clearly, that's one major reason why it has been such a humiliating experience here for them.”
When introducing the motion, Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen said the work undertaken so far by the Committee has been “immense” but did concede that more work now needs to be done.
“The Committee has listened very carefully to the tone and tenor of individual comments and the will of the States, in terms of the amendments that have come through, and understands that the piece of work that we have produced needs further enhancement, refining, strengthening and further consultation with its members and stakeholders, in order to get it to a place where this assembly feels that it can support it.
“The will of the assembly, is the will of the assembly, and I will continue to bow to that and to work with that on Committee, because I think that this is all part of the democratic process.”
In asking members to vote for the motion, she said “I would urge that you do so, insofar as allowing the Committee to metaphorically go away to a darkened room with a cold towel around its head to map out next steps.”
The motion was voted through 27 to 9.
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