Education Minister Alex Allinson has voiced doubts over some of the proposed changes in a hard-hitting report that calls for major reforms of his department.

But the minister admitted that, if left unchecked, the antagonism between teaching staff and the Department of Education, Sport and Culture could affect the quality of island children’s education.

The report, by Beamans Management Consultants, was published last week. It revealed the ’fractured’ relationship between the DESC and its teachers, laying bare the depths of mistrust.

Two days after its publication, DESC chief executive Ronald Barr’s resignation was confirmed.

Dr Allinson, who was appointed education minister in March, said he accepted the report’s main conclusion about the #at times adversarial and non-co-operative’ culture that has developed. He admitted the report was a ’difficult read’.

But he said there were parts of the report which he did ’not necessarily agree with’, including the proposal for an education board to replace the current Education Council.

The minister said: ’Given the need to change the culture of the department and repair relationships relatively quickly, and the threat that Covid-19 might return to our island and disrupt educational provision again, I am not convinced that we should embark on a wholescale reorganisation and move to the proposed education board structure.’

That structure has drawn comparison with the new health care board created following a root and branch review of health services delivery in the island. That is designed to keep operational matters and policy making separate.

But Dr Allinson argued that the Beamans inquiry into the relationship between the DESC and its employees had not gone into the same levels of detail as the health review.

’Beamans have looked just at the internal workings of the department,’ he said.

’I believe we have an excellent educational service on our island with dedicated teachers, good schools and committed pupils.

’The board structure for health has yet to be proven and has taken considerable time and resource to develop.’

But he agreed with the Beamans recommendation to overhaul the department’s education improvement service, so advice for and inspection of schools would be kept separate.

Beamans found that head teachers were wary of seeking help because they feared it could count against them in subsequent school reviews.

Dr Allinson added: ’I believe that a change in culture and separation of school advice and support from inspection as envisaged in the interim model will generate significant improvements in communication and cooperation.

’One of the initial actions will be to address the current system of schools inspection and ensure this is separated from the important advice and support given to teachers by the department.

’It is essential that teachers can discuss any problem areas and receive advice and support without any fear of judgement.’

Dr Allison pushed back against a comment in the report about ’primary schools, serving specific communities, many of which are economically too small’.

’I believe one of the greatest strengths of our education system is the smaller schools at the heart of their communities,’ he said.

The Examiner first spoke to Dr Allinson before Professor Barr’s departure was confirmed. We asked whether the findings of the Beamans Report were accepted by all the department leaders.

The minister told us: ’I have given a presentation of the report to the senior leadership team who accepted the need for cultural change on all sides.

’A change team has been seconded from other parts of government to start the process of consultation with teachers to decide the best way forward.’

He said the suggested future models of structure and governance ’have to be tested and developed in conjunction with everyone they will affect’.

Along with current scrutiny of the Education Bill, he said, the report was a ’springboard for change and an opportunity to reset the relationship between the department and the teaching profession’.

He acknowledged the problems had been building for years.

’The culture which had been allowed to develop had soured relationships and, if left, could have started to have a detrimental effect on our children’s education. It is essential that our pupils and their families are the focus for the department.’

He said it was important to listen to teachers.

’It is only through mutual communication and understanding that trust can be regained,’ he said. ’Trust is essential for healthy working relationships.

’I am convinced that many of the problems highlighted in the report can be addressed relatively quickly and need to be done so to improve relationships with teachers and staff as soon as possible.’

But he added: ’Others, such as strengthening the system of school governors will entail a longer-term project including recruitment, training and systems of support.’

Dr Allinson also praised the ’dedicated team of staff at the department committed to education, sport and culture’ and pledged to support teachers.

The report has received a cautious welcome from teaching unions who have been in dispute over a number of issues, including pay, pensions and working conditions.