The South Australian Opposition says that an educator, not an enforcer should run the state’s schools.

SA’s Liberal Opposition is refusing to endorse the appointment of former deputy police commissioner Tony Harrison as CEO of the Education Department.

Opposition education spokesman David Pisoni says schools should be run by experts in education.

“We want an education system that excels here in South Australia and you need an educator to run that system,” he said,

“I think that Tony Harrison is too close to the action and too close to the minister.”

Mr Harrison was hastily appointed after the resignation of former department head Keith Bartley in the wake of findings about failings in the handling of school-based sexual abuse cases.

Premier Jay Weatherill says the Opposition is lashing out at a figure they have had problems with before.

“The man's been in the role for a couple of weeks and he [Mr Pisoni] makes an unwarranted slur on his character and his performance. I think that's the sort of recklessness we've come to expect from Mr Pisoni,” Weatherill said.

The Liberal Opposition has promised a complete restructure of the state’s Education Department if they win the upcoming election, they are yet to provide any details of what the reformation may entail.