Former Deputy and Education Minister Robert Sillars will return to public service to head up the new school governance board overseeing the States’ secondary schools.
Mr Sillars will chair the Secondary Schools Partnership Cluster which includes Les Varendes, Les Beaucamps, and St Sampson’s high schools and the Sixth Form Centre.
He was selected for the role by the Education, Sport, and Culture Committee which has successfully steered plans to set up new management arrangements for local schools through the States in the past few months.
Mr Sillars headed up Education’s political board during the 2012-2016 States term where he led on several controversial policies including the abolition of the 11-plus and the closure of St Andrew’s Primary and St Sampson’s Infant School.
ESC said he brings “significant leadership experience and knowledge of secondary education”.
He was one of three late chair appointments to the remaining school governance roles which were re-advertised after Education didn’t make a selection in the first instance.
Stuart Jehan, a candidate for Forward Guernsey in the 2025 election, has been appointed to head up the South & West Schools cluster which includes Castel, Forest, La Houguette, and St Martin’s.
He has corporate governance experience and also serves on the board of Citizen’s Advice and the parent teacher association for La Houguette.
Meanwhile, Andrew Ogier, who also has corporate governance experience and served on an interim governance board, will chair the North Primary Cluster including Hautes Capelles, La Mare de Carteret and the Vale.
The boards will scrutinise school performance and the chairs will sit on interview panels for principals and headteachers.
Deputy Paul Montague, President of ESC, said their “extensive experience and commitment to education will further strengthen our system across the Bailiwick.
“With these appointments, every Chair position across our Boards is now filled. Together, the eight Chairs bring remarkable expertise and passion, driving our shared goal of giving every learner the best possible opportunity to thrive.”
The other chairs for the remaining governance boards were appointed in September.