The president of a head teachers’ union has said there seems to be a lack of trust between the government and school leaders in the island.

Judy Shaw, president of the National Association of Head Teachers, was visiting the Isle of Man to attend the union’s AGM and visit some of the island’s schools.

The NAHT, along with other teaching unions, is currently balloting members on whether to take industrial action due to a series of issues with the Department of Education, Sport and Culture.

Ms Shaw told the Manx Independent that the NAHT national executive is ’concerned that the morale of school leaders in the island in recent times has seemed so low’.

She said: ’There seems to be a lack of trust from the government towards school leaders and from school leaders towards the government at the moment which is a real concern.’

Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, who was also in the island, said that the lack of trust has manifested itself in an ’erosion of engagement’ in the island.

Mr Whiteman said that in working with governments in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the union is consulted with on proposed changes.

However, in the island, he said that members have told him the union is ignored and that ’politicians make sweeping decisions about education without that engagement’.

Mr Whiteman said that the lack of engagement had left members ’fearful of speaking out’.

He added: ’It’s not all about pay and conditions, this is about government really respecting the education profession and the professionals.

’Where politics and education works best is when there is that partnership and you extract the very best on behalf of children and young people going forward and the communities being served.’

However, Mr Whiteman and Ms Shaw both told the Manx Independent that they believe the situation with the government is ’recoverable’ but will require more discussion.

Despite the ongoing issue with the government, Ms Shaw praised the commitment and quality of teachers in the island.

She described one school she visited, Ballacottier Primary School, as a ’top notch learning environment’ with ’really happy children and highly professional teachers’.

Ms Shaw also praised the ’inclusive nature’ of the Manx education system with special needs units attached to schools rather than away from them.

The NAHT members will join other unions at Braddan Church on January 28 to discuss future industrial action.