Jersey will have to review whether its education provision is “affordable for the future” in light of the “falling birth rate” and “financial pressures”, according to the government spending watchdog.
The Comptroller and Auditor General Lynn Pamment today published a report on the Education Reform Programme, which was launched in 2021 following an Independent School Funding Review which identified a “significant gap between current provision and the aspiration for a ‘world-class’ education system”.
The Education Reform Programme received £41.9m of funding approved in the Government Plan 2021 to 2024.
The audit – which aimed to assess whether the government’s approach to education reform was evidence-based, outcome-focused and provides value for money – found that there will soon be an “excess” of school places because fewer children are being born in the island.
Ms Pamment said that this is already a “key issue” for primary schools. It comes shortly after the government moved forward with plans to close three “not fit for purpose” primary schools and replace them with a new facility on the old Jersey Gas site next to the town park.
The audit also found that Jersey’s education system is made more complicated and expensive by letting students choose different learning paths at the age of 14.
The C&AG added that the funding of fee-paying schools and how they fit into the overall education system will need “careful consideration”.
“In addition, greater clarity will be required as to the role that Highlands College plays in the overall strategy,” she said.
Ms Pamment concluded: “The next phase of the Education Reform Programme, which is currently being developed, should include a focus on curriculum, inclusion, workforce development, early years investment and refinement of funding models.
“As part of the next phase of the Education Reform Programme it will be important to sustain good quality data in order to allocate and track resources in the most appropriate way and to define a clear strategy for achieving world-class education in Jersey.”
The full report can be found online.
