Against a backdrop of budget reductions and efficiency savings, the Department of Education and Children (DEC) is maintaining its focus on delivering front line services at the Island’s primary and secondary schools and the Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education.
As detailed in the Isle of Man Budget, published yesterday, the Department of Education and Children’s budget for 2015/16 is £90.5 million – an increase of £0.3 million from the £90.2 million set for 2014/15. After taking into account an increase of £1.4 million for the Department’s capital loan charges, the bottom line is that the DEC budget has been reduced by £1.1 million.
This reduction has been achieved through a range of savings, including restructuring of the Department’s support and administrative functions.
Transfers from the DEC to other departments to provide an expanded range of shared services, including estates management and catering, account for £0.2m of the reduction. The remaining £0.9 million has been saved as a result of a third cohort of students making the universal contribution to their higher education tuition fees, which had been agreed by Tynwald in 2013. The changes introduced to student fees support have now achieved a saving of £3.8 million per annum.
Tim Crookall MHK, Minister for Education and Children, explained that the Department continues to review all areas of its service to make sure that resources are being targeted effectively: ‘The Department has been proactive in meeting the cost-saving targets it has faced in recent years. Since 2010, it has reduced expenditure by over £4 million and has absorbed cost increases amounting to over £7.7 million.’
The Minister also identified the delivery of unprecedented curriculum reform for secondary schools as one of the most significant challenges ahead for the Department. ‘Following an extensive public consultation in the past year, the core qualification for 14 -16 year olds will move to the International GCSE over the next three years. To ensure that all of our students have good teaching and the best possible chances of success in their examinations, the Department has been able to secure funding to support the introduction of the IGCSE across its secondary schools and the Isle of Man College.’
The 2015-16 budget includes £6 million towards the construction of the new £9 million Henry Bloom Noble Primary School on the old Nobles’ Hospital site – a much-needed, modern facility to meet the needs of a growing school population in Douglas.
With Sports Development, the National Sports Centre and the Arts Council now fully integrated into the DEC following the disbanding of the Department of Community, Culture and Leisure, the Department has identified synergies that will support the health and well-being of children and young people and lead to their participation and engagement with the wider community.
‘Success in the 21st century will depend on our young people's ability to be resourceful, adaptable, self-confident and creative. I am pleased that, at a cost just more than £1,000 per year for every man, woman and child of the Island’s population, the 2015 Budget provides the resources to help us develop young learners accordingly and nurture skills that lay the foundation for lifelong learning,’ added Mr Crookall.
