The Council of Ministers has commissioned an independent review of how the Department of Education, Sport and Culture works with the Island’s primary and secondary schools.
The review, which will be carried out by management consultants Beamans, will consider a number of themes, including:
- the effectiveness of current governance arrangements, such as roles as responsibilities and how the Department provides oversight of schools through setting goals and evaluating performance
- the effectiveness of the Department at managing the interface with schools, including relationships with governing bodies and school leadership teams.
The Chief Minister, Howard Quayle said:
'A first class education system is the bedrock of our society and our economy. Our teachers and school leaders do an amazing job, as do those based in the Department who work to implement policy and support our Island’s teaching profession and our young people.
'The Department and our schools have a shared objective: a focus on achieving the best educational outcomes for our young people, ensuring they have every opportunity to realise their potential, whatever that may be.
'Despite this shared objective, the Department and our schools have different roles to play. The Department sets policy and provides oversight of schools by setting objectives and evaluating performance. Our schools deliver education, based on these policies and objectives. This relationship – between the Department and schools – is the element of our education system that we are seeking to review. We must ensure it is effective, fit for purpose and robust if we are to achieve an education system that delivers the best for our young people and for our Island.'
The review is scheduled to commence next week with a target date for submission of a report by the end of July 2020.
