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Schools jobs to go as funding squeeze takes hold
HAPPY Harold the giraffe could be put out to grass as Life Education becomes a victim of the squeeze on government spending.
Education chiefs confirmed that Skimmee Gien Mie (Team Wellbeing) would be wound down with the loss of three posts. Every effort would be made to redeploy staff, they said.
Union leaders were due today (Friday) to meet affected staff.
For the past 20 years, health education has been supported by Skimmee Gien Mie, which has visited each school in the Island annually to deliver lessons, using Life Education caravans, which people will know from the Happy Harold the giraffe motif on the side.
Skimmee Gie Mie's remit expanded over the years to include sex and relationship education and healthy eating, physical activity and emotional well-being, as well as the original drug and alcohol education.
Now schools will deliver these subjects on a year-round basis through teachers who have attended Skimmee Gien Mie sessions.
Teachers will be trained and supported by an advisory teacher, appointed from within the four-strong Skimmee Gien Mie team, with efforts made to redeploy the remaining three staff to schools.
A Department of Education spokesman said: 'The department is having to make savings across its services and this is being achieved through the non-replacement of staff, where possible, and through some changes in working patterns.
'Where savings cannot be made in this way and posts are, in effect, redundant, every effort is being made to secure redeployment as the department is trying to avoid redundancies as far as possible.'
Andrew Shipley, branch secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said the union was disappointed the government found itself having to find substantial savings.
He added: 'It is disappointing when particular services are seriously affected as we see happening with Life Education, with the possibility of redundancies. The ATL will support and take whatever action is necessary in consultation with affected members.
'By starting the consultation process at this point of the year the Department of Education has given staff the opportunity to go on the redeployment register which I hope will see those affected securing suitable employment.
'The ATL will support members at all stages in this process especially in seeking to find alternative work within education.'
Support for drug and alcohol education in schools will continue to be provided by the department's drug and alcohol officer.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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YOUR COMMENTS
I really dont think its appropriate to be taking this kind of role away. I remember so much from my times on the' Happy Harold' bus which was almost 20 years ago! I think that its a fabulous educational tool. Is it not now more than ever that money should not be taken from the education department? I understand that cuts need to be made but we need to be educating our young people on all aspects of life including that of sexual education - something the Skimmee Gien Mie team were good at. The govt as a whole need to look at where all thier money is going such as the silly amounts spent on things like a coin operated public toilet and efforts going into sending ministers to Florida space center and other such 'jollies.'
EMMA W
It is a shame that this service is to be disbanded. In todays society where our kids are under intense pressure from every angle to slot into a percieved 'model' this service seemed to offer a good deal of helpful advice on a range of subjects. It appears now that this role will be another that will have to be borne by teaching staff, I'm sure they are pleased! Education is an area where we seem to suffer a bit with reports recently from Tesco (admittedly in the UK) about the poor quality of school leavers, without a basic understanding of english and maths. Sex education and drug awareness is a real problem too, the Uk has one of the worse records in Europe on both, while ministers say we dont have the same problems here if you speak to the kids they will disagree. I think this was just a 'soft target' there must be more 'money pit' areas in the DOE that could be trimmed.
TTTASH
How sad that this valueable service and important part of our curriculum is being cut to save money. With the increase of Drug abuse, smoking and teenage pregnancies heaven help our young people. As teachers we are stretched to the limits with our committments in Education we don't have the time to deliver the Life Education programme as well as everything else within our curriculum. If the Government can spend 3 million on extending Richmond hill for traffic to go faster and therefore cause more accidents we now abandon our children to growing up ignorant of the dangers that face them. We have already had enough bad press about our teenagers going off the rails- who is going to help educate them now. Society will rue the day this stupid decison was made.
ANN COTTIER, Head of Humanites -The Buchan School ( mother of 3)
Yet again a Ministry of Government thinking for the short term. Health Promotion activities (of which Skimmee gien mie is one element on a whole continuum) are for the long term and have NEVER been properly funded, however we will see in time that we cannot afford all the 'treatments' and will regret not investing more into prevention at an early age. The World Health Organisation recently released its latest report into the determinents of health and guess what - children's early years are one of the keys! One of the reasons children remember is because Life Education brings along larger than life resources - will all teachers have such resources at their disposal? We need to think creatively for our children - especially the boys.
VERY DISSAPOINTED
I cant understand why education is being hit like this. I remember the Happy Harold bus too, and learned alot from this, I am sure my friends will agree. Even the Youth Workers have had to take a pay cut from 10 per hour to a mere 6.25 per hour. It's disgraceful to cut funds from these areas, they do a wonderful job helping the youths and keeping them off the streets.
KRISTON, Douglas
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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