Politician wants Jersey education fee study

A Jersey politician wants a review into why it costs more to teach children in States schools than fee-paying schools.

Senator Ben Shenton is calling for proper consultation over plans to reduce the grant to private schools.

He said the current partnership with the States paying half the fees and parents the rest worked well and was being looked at by other communities.

He wants the Education department to delay its planned cut in the grants paid to fee-paying schools.

Senator Shenton said more work needed to be carried out to look at the impact and whether it was a good idea to expect parents to pay more at fee paying schools.

In a report to the States, he said it cost taxpayers nearly £8,000 to educate a child at the States secondary school Grainville, whereas it costs tax payers £3,000 to educate one at Beaulieu Convent.

He wants the Department to look at the discrepancy and examine whether parents should pay more at fee paying schools.