'Years of uncertainty' if delay to Guernsey education plans approved

The signatories believe a one-year delay would ensure the best model of secondary education is chosen

Approving a motion to delay education plans would "inevitably lead to years of further uncertainty", the committee for education, sport and culture says.

The requete proposes delaying approved changes to Guernsey's secondary education system, which involves a one-school-two-sites model.

Seven signatories lodged a motion on Wednesday because they believe the plans need to be scrutinised further.

A petition against the one-school model has received 5,437 signatures.

Plans to reduce the current four-school system to one 11-18 school on two sites - the current St Sampson's and Les Beaucamps high schools - have been approved by the States twice, as well as £157m of funding.

The total cost of the transformation of the Les Beaucamps and St Sampson's high schools is expected to cost up to £157m

If the requete is successful, the States will have to "start with a blank sheet of paper", Dept Matt Fallaize, president of ESC said.

He told the BBC it was "irresponsible" for politicians to try and stop the reforms "without having any idea" what to put in their place.

Without an alternative plan in place, the "States would be sent into years of further analysis and debate", during which parents and children would not know the future of education plans in Guernsey.

However, Dept Andrea Dudley-Owen, one of the seven signatories, said they were "being entirely responsible" because the current plans have not been "substantiated or evidenced to the point that they need to be".

"The overwhelming ground swell of opposition from teachers recently, means that we do really need to stop and pause and review.

"It is very clear that the community is opposed by majority to this plan."

Previously, a group of teachers wrote an open letter warning against "calamitous" education plans, highlighting issues with transport, infrastructure and space in the plans to have two secondary school sites.