SPEAKER of the House of Keys Steve Rodan MHK has tabled a motion for the next Tynwald sitting calling for ‘universal and equitable’ teacher-led pre-school education.
He believes that Tynwald should be given the chance to debate on Education and Children Minister Peter Karran’s plans to privatise its nurseries and introduce a credit scheme to help parents pay for their children’s nursery education.
And he said he hoped it would ‘divert’ the department from its current path.
The motion, to be laid before the April sitting, states: ‘Tynwald acknowledges the value of teacher-led pre-school education and calls upon the Council of Ministers to develop a strategy for its provision on a universal and equitable basis following public consultation, and to report to Tynwald no later than July 2012.’
Mr Rodan, whose emergency debate at the February Tynwald sitting narrowly failed to defer the end of state pre-school and nursery provision to September 2013, said his new motion would ensure there was a debate on the issue in Tynwald.
‘Time is quickly running out but I don’t think the matter is done and dusted,’ he said.
‘Tynwald must have the opportunity to debate the matter fully and divert the department from the path they are currently on.’
He added: ‘I believe political support is growing strongly to look at alternatives so I’m quite hopeful that this motion will pass, quite possibly with some amendments from the floor of Tynwald.’
Mr Rodan said he hoped the DEC would look at alternatives, such as continuing to run the pre-schools with teachers, but introducing charges for parents.
And he said the debate was also a chance to ‘get to the bottom of’ Mr Karran’s comment in the House of Keys this week that the £400,000 cost of the credit scheme was ‘new money’.
In the House of Keys on Tuesday, a motion by Douglas East MHK Brenda Cannell for the proposed policy changes to require Tynwald approval narrowly failed, with 11 votes for, 12 against.
Significantly DEC member John Houghton (Douglas North) voted in favour of the motion – effectively against the government and his own department – while DEC member Zac Hall (Onchan), who is a Liberal Vannin colleague of Peter Karran, absented himself shortly before the vote.
The credit scheme was announced last week, more than a a month after schools were told the DEC was to stop providing pre-school nursery education.
All parents of nursery-age children will receive £350 towards their costs, regardless of income.
Those who currently would qualify for free school meals would be entitled to a credit of £1,150.
The current provision in DEC run facilities, based on five 2.5 hours sessions per week, would equate to fees of £2,093.
The department says the aim was that the maximum credit would equate to three mornings a week, but conceded some private nurseries cost ‘considerably more’ than the £2,093 figure quoted.
No consideration of UK study
The working party which came up with the credit scheme to help parents fund their children’s nursery education gave no consideration of a UK review into early years education.
The interim findings of the Nutbrown review highlighted concerns about literacy and numeracy skills following a review of qualifications for nursery staff and childminders in England.
Department of Education and Children chief executive Stuart Dobson said: ‘The working party did not consider the Nutbrown interim review findings because it was only published on March 13, 2012.’
When asked how the findings ‘equate with the DEC’s reluctance to make any commitment to teachers in nursery schools in its premises’, Mr Dobson said: ‘The DEC is not reluctant to have teachers in nursery schools, this is misreporting.’
The Manx Independent asked the question, specifically referring to the reluctance to commit to teachers, as Mr Dobson has previously stated there will be no stipulation that private nurseries using DEC facilities must have a teacher.
Mr Dobson said the DEC ‘attempts to keep abreast of all important reviews in many fields of education but with fewer and fewer officers available to undertake this, the time taken to act necessarily lengthens’.
And he said the department was ‘very well supported’ by schools and head teachers who were part of national bodies by keeping it ‘alert to a range of issues and this partnership is to be encouraged’.
He said: ‘Department of Education and Children officers were aware of the Review of Early Education and Childcare Qualifications interim report and are working with staff at the Isle of Man College to consider issues raised.
‘It is also worth noting that on the island, the entry requirement for staff training to lead the work in nurseries include a pass in GCSE English and maths which is exactly the same as for teachers entering training.’