Phil Jordan shares this latest on behalf of the Island Independents. Ed
The Island Independent group announces a challenge for the Conservative group to publicly support the Education Policies of the Isle of Wight Council and assist in improving the educational attainments for our Island children.
Speaking today, Cllr Phil Jordan Executive Member for Public Protection said,
“A Ministerial Directive was received from Government in June 2013 which placed the education and safeguarding of our children into ‘administration’ by employing Hampshire to manage our education system. This followed eight years conservative administration that recorded the Island educational results in the lowest part of National league tables and the worst national record for school truancy and related school absenteeism.
“School re-organisation and poor management failed our children and we were forced to implement serious measures , including employing Hampshire. Clear evidence exists between attendance levels and educational attainment and Policies to improve those attendance levels have been put into place.”
Island could have been £5m better off
He went on to say,
“The costs to this Authority at a time when financial pressures are huge has been over £2m since 2013 and increasing at the rate of around £1m a year. By the end of the initial five year period, as dictated by Government, this Authority will have spent an extra £5m trying to improve the educational standards for the children of this Island.
“Had the Conservative administration not failed in their expected duties on education this Island would be around £5m better off by 2018. That is a lot of other public services we could have paid for instead.”
Cllr Jordan finished by saying,
“It now appears that the Conservatives, having originally placed our Island into this position, are questioning the educational policies and certain selective costs we have out into place to improve the situation.
“Asking for costs of the recent Court case ignores the entire educational attainment strategy and confuses residents and parents alike as to their position over education.
“They have yet to ask for the costs of the Hampshire arrangement which is why I have announced them. It is not correct that a small part of the costs of implementing our Policies are scrutinised, but rather that any scrutiny must include the total costs of repairing the educational damage they have left our Island as a legacy.”
Call for clarification
The Island Independents are calling for clarification over Conservative approaches to education and the educational policies of the Independent administration which are ensuring our children achieve the best possible outcome from their schooling.
