The report suggests increasing class sizes

The report, drawn up by Cambridge Projects, was commissioned by the Advisory and Finance Committee in November and set out cost-saving alternatives to the Education Council's proposals for three new island schools.

Representatives from the committee put forward some of the alternatives suggested in a meeting attended by teachers and former teachers on Thursday night.

But following the presentation by the consultants at the Frossard Lecture Theatre at Candie, there was angry reaction at what many said was a purely financial approach to the issue.

Conflicting demands

Suggestions in the report, which cost �40,000, included the building of two new secondary schools instead of three and fewer classes per year with larger class sizes.

Teachers said looking at the education system from purely a financial standpoint would affect the islands' children for many years to come.

Education president Deputy Martin Ozanne said he was concerned Advisory and Finance was taking education matters out of teachers' hands by failing to consult them.

He said: "I think people now recognise and realise that this report has been carried out, but it hasn't taken on board the educational requirements that this island needs.

"That was certainly hammered home by the teachers, who complained that they had not been spoken to by the team."

Deputy Bill Bell of Advisory and Finance defended the commissioning of the report saying there were conflicting demands on the States' purse and the committee needed information to be able to make the best decisions.

Cambridge Projects said it had not come up with "any right or wrong answers" in the report, but produced some facts and figures so politicians could be better informed when coming to make decisions.