Views sought on options to revise education laws

A raft of changes to modernise laws governing schooling on the island are being considered by the education department.

Issues being considered for inclusion in the Education Amendment Bill, which is set to be brought forward next year, include home schooling, religious education, catchment areas, emergency closures and mobile phone use.

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture (Desc) is asking for views on the potential changes, which will update the Education Act 2001.

A previous attempt to overhaul those laws was scrapped in 2021 after it received criticism in the House of Keys.

Desc Minister Daphne Caine said the "key piece of work" was part of the government's Island Plan and public input would help shape the future laws.

The consultation asks if the current religious education syllabus, which is produced by the Religious Education Advisory Committee and must be "wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character", is "still suitable".

It also asks for views on whether a guidance document should be created for home educators and a register kept of those being schooled at home rather than leaving the responsibility solely with the child's parents.

On catchment areas, the document is seeking views on whether a year group at a school should be able to be declared full when it reaches capacity, who should make that decision, and whether siblings should automatically be able to attend the same school.

The Desc also outlines options for increasing the powers to initiate emergency school closures to allow them to be "exercised more efficiently and in a more responsive manner".

Other areas covered include educational tribunals, governing bodies, and the use of mobile phones, which is currently determined on a school by school basis.

The consultation is available online, external until 10 May.

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