A damning report has exposed the ’fractured’ relationship between island schools and education officials.

Chief Minister Howard Quayle ordered a review of the structure and functioning of the Department of Education, Sport and Culture earlier this year.

This was a direct response to concerns about the DESC’s relationship with teachers against the backdrop of the long-running pay dispute.

In its 111 page report, Beamans Management Consultants conclude that the relationship between the department and teachers is ’fractured and must be repaired.’

It also suggests that in the long-term a Manx Education board could be established to manage, co-ordinate and support the delivery of education, separate from policy and inspection.

The report does not single out any individual for criticism but says a culture has been allowed to develop which is antagonistic and non-collaborative.

Teachers feel disengaged and demotivated by lack of consultation on development of educational policies - and this gulf between schools and the DESC has increasingly led teachers to turn to their unions.

’As battle lines have become more deeply entrenched the behaviours and actions of both sides have become more combative which has culminated in the present pay dispute,’ the report states.

Beamans say the role of education director, who is line manager to 37 head teachers, the college principal and five school improvement advisers, ’makes no sense from an organisational, management or governance perspective’.

The role of governing bodies is ’weak’ and that of the Education Improvement Services is ’conflicted’, the report states.

But the most significant weakness is not management or organisational - it is cultural.

Collaboration is variable and there are no key common values, the report says.

It adds: ’In short, there has been, and continues to be, a long-standing battle of wills particularly between the department and secondary school teachers as to "who’s in charge".

’In our view, this issue is the root cause of the cracked relationship.’

Beamans suggest the best way to ’reset’ this relationship is to establish a separate Manx Education Board responsible for the delivery of all primary and secondary education.

The Chief Minister said: ’This report is not an easy read.

’A situation has developed between the department and teachers which has damaged morale and threatens the high standard of education on our island.

’I am committed to heal these divisions.’

Teaching unions have given a cautious welcome to the report.

Rob Kelsall, NAHT national secretary, said: ’The independent review findings and recommendations will resonate with head teachers and teachers who have been calling on government to listen to their professional concerns for some time.

’It’s a travesty that it took a dispute to highlight many of the issues covered in this report.’

The National Education Union said: ’We welcome the call for fundamental change with an aim of resetting the relationship between unions and DESC.’