Monday 16 January 2023
The Committee for Education, Sport & Culture will this week launch a public consultation on the Education Law as it seeks community input before finalising its proposals for a new Law, which will replace current legislation.
The current Education Law is widely regarded as outdated and no longer fit for purpose. It was agreed in the 1970s but based on UK legislation from the 1940s and some elements of educational practice date as far back as the turn of the century.
Updating the Law is a key priority for the Committee this States term and the public consultation, which launches on Wednesday at 4pm, provides an opportunity for the community to influence the development of the Committee's final proposals, which will then be debated by the States Assembly later this year.
The Committee has today published a short animation seeking to provide an overview of the current law, why it needs to change and why it is so important for the delivery of education. The animation can be viewed via the States of Guernsey's social media accounts and on the States' website at www.gov.gg/educationlaw
Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen, President of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, said:
'Our Education Law should outline what parents and their children can expect from the education system - both what students are entitled to and what our education settings are responsible for. Like lots of laws, the Education Law exists in the background for most people - essentially as an invisible safety net that protects students and ensures the way we deliver education is appropriate. It should clearly set out the rights, responsibilities and protections that a modern education system should provide for.
'However, the current Education Law is about 50 years old, and is actually based on UK legislation from many years ago. That's clearly not appropriate for a modern education system so progressing the development of an updated law has been one of our key priorities for this term.
'The current law is almost silent on some things that are very important to parents and educators now, that maybe weren't so important or as well understood 50 years ago. An example of this is safeguarding. We all know how important it is that students' needs and welfare are met in a holistic way, which is why safeguarding is such a massive focus for modern education systems. The law is, however, virtually silent on safeguarding and that's something we clearly need to address, along with many other areas of outdated practice.
'While the vast majority of parents and students will never have a reason to directly interact with the Education Law, which is a positive thing, the importance of having legislation which is fit for modern education cannot be understated and the community now has an opportunity to influence our final proposals. I would encourage as many people as possible to complete this important survey, which will be published on Wednesday this week.'
