THE Education Minister has stressed that “all comments and critiques” stemming from a survey of staff working in government schools and colleges – in which over half of the respondents said they had thought about quitting – will be considered.
Deputy Rob Ward spoke to the JEP following publication of the Jersey Schools and Colleges Survey 2025 report on Thursday.
It invited feedback from a wide range of employees, including teachers, teaching assistants, student services and support staff, catering staff, site staff, technicians as well as office and administrative staff.
Among the headline figures generated by the research, which received over 600 responses, was that 62% of respondents had considered leaving their role in the last 12 months, and 25% had considered leaving their profession altogether.
Both responses were more likely among teachers, where the figures stood at 69% and 33% respectively.
The National Education Union’s joint district and branch secretary in Jersey, Adrian Moss, has cited “conditions and volume of work” as some of the biggest concerns being raised, and said that the union wanted to work with the Education Department to address them.
Deputy Ward, a former teacher and trade union head, said: “We’ve shown already that the relationship with trade unions and subsequently the professionals in teaching – that incredibly important workforce – is much more positive than it’s ever been.
“And this is exactly the type of thing we will want to work with them on.”
Deputy Ward, whose professional background includes decades as a teacher, stressed that the government would analyse “all comments and critiques” and “also look at where the positives are”.
“We need to respect all of the opinions.
“We want to do everything we can to keep staff in the profession and support them. So what we need to do is look at the survey, look at the things that are working well and do more of those.”
