It is time to put the pro- and anti-selection debate behind us. We have made our choice and need to move on. I am open-minded as to the model for our new schools, but, whichever is chosen, we must now focus all our efforts on building a stable and lasting system. It must moreover be a system fit for the 21st century. We must ensure that the entire workforce is educated to their full potential, since this will prove vital to Guernsey’s future competitiveness as a knowledge-based economy.
The same consideration applies to vocational and professional education, which are just as central to the knowledge-based economy as primary and secondary schooling. We should explore the possibility of instituting employer/employee tax breaks for those willing to study in order to upgrade their professional skill-set.