“Children first” was the phrase used to describe the focus of the Ministry of Education during the Throne Speech on Friday.

A raft of school improvement plans, which are under way and scheduled for completion by 2018, were outlined.

Delivering a relatively lengthy section on education, the Governor, George Fergusson, listed a raft of measures that were already largely in the public domain.

The introduction of a Career and Vocational Stem (science, technology, engineering and maths) programme was the most recently announced news.

The programme is expected to be developed in time for September next year, and it will be introduced “at the early childhood to primary levels, using outdoor environments to develop inquiry-based learning”.

The emotive issue of school reorganisation was raised, although the speech did not specify whether any schools would close or be consolidated.

A School Reorganisation Advisory Committee has been established to engage parents, educators and other residents in a review of programmes.

“The review will lead to a presentation of findings about the feasibility of school closures and the number of schools to be closed, if any at all, prior to the 2016-17 school year,” the Governor said.

Mr Fergusson went on to say that the Child Development Programme, “using best practice standards, is at the second stage of its international accreditation process”. A strategy supporting the programme will be implemented during the year, he said.

There was also mention of the Professional Development Programme for teachers based on the Danielson Framework and plans to “equip teaching staff in every school with specialised training to steer student behaviour towards productive learning activities”.

Last up was the introduction of a Parent Involvement Committee to develop a strategy for the public school system.