Teachers question split of education department

LONDON, June 28 (Reuters) Teachers' leaders questioned new Prime Minister Gordon Brown's decision to split the Department of Education and Skills into two new ministries today, but university administrators and scientists supported it.

Long-term Brown ally Ed Balls will run the Department for Children, Schools and Families, while senior backbencher John Denham has been put in charge of the separate department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

Balls, the former Economic Secretary, will be responsible for education up to age 19, while Denham, a former Home Office minister, will concentrate on colleges and higher education.

The National Union of Teachers forecast the two departments would eventually be reunited, while the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) said the split would make it harder to co-ordinate education policy.

''We very much hope the two new education departments are successful, but from past experience -- when education, skills and training was split between departments -- we have concerns about how it will work,'' said ATL General Secretary Mary Bousted.

In a ministerial statement Brown said Balls' new department would also be responsible for ''promoting the well-being, safety, protection and care of all young people''.

University leaders welcomed the split, with Drummond Bone, president of vice-chancellors' body Universities UK, describing it an ''exciting and forward-looking move''.

''It creates an extremely powerful ministry and clearly shows the central place that higher education holds in Mr Brown's vision for the future of the country,'' Bone said.

The change also won a cautious welcome from leading scientists.

Colin Blakemore, chief executive of the Medical Research Council, said it made sense to put science and higher education together.

''Some people might be concerned that innovation' but not 'science' is in the new department's name, but I am confident that Gordon Brown will maintain Britain's commitment to world class basic research,'' Blakemore said.

REUTERS AM RN2348