Campaigners keep watch on pre schools' new era

The women who led a campaign to keep government-run pre-schools say they are satisfied with a landmark debate in Tynwald on the issue.

Amy Burns and Lisa Morris gave evidence to the Social Affairs Policy Review Committee which examined the the decision to privatise Island pre-schools in September 2012. 

Committee chair Brenda Cannell told Tynwald this week the decision to end state funding for pre schools had been 'badly handled' by government with 'woefully inadequate' consultation.

A radical change to government policy was made without debate in the national parliament, something the report concluded must not happen again.

Members supported all five of the committee's recommendations

Education chiefs say a baseline assesment carried out in autumn 2013 shows children entering school were doing 'at least as well' under the new system, where parents use vouchers to purchase pre school sessions for their children. 

But Amy and Lisa believe young chidren are worse off educationally since the nurseries were privatised: