The festivities are over and this week school children across North Wales returned to the classroom.
It has been said that education is one of the most important investments a country can make in its future. It is a powerful vehicle for change, and can improve health and livelihoods.
If we want Wales and its people to prosper, providing our young people with a first-rate education is vital.
Unfortunately, Ministers in Cardiff Bay don’t seem to recognise this and for too long under the Welsh Labour Government the education system in Wales has been falling behind England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
PISA results released last month regretfully showed that Wales’ performance has fallen to its lowest ever level in maths, reading and science tests taken by 15-year olds. Wales’ result were the lowest of all UK nations for a fifth consecutive time, with Wales’ results lower than the OECD average.
Singapore came top again (a score of 543), followed by Ireland and Japan (516). Wales is ranked between Slovenia and the Netherlands.
The Pisa results for science saw the average score in Wales drop from 488 to 473 - a much larger fall than in the other UK nations.
Despite this, the Labour Government are cutting the education budget in real terms for the 2024-2025 draft budget.
I think such news will enrage parents in every part of Wales. Our children deserve better.
Standards and performance in Wales need to improve and the Welsh Government should be investing more into education to ensure that they do.
We have some fantastic schools and teachers throughout Wales, and as an MS it has been a pleasure to make regular visits to those in Clwyd West over the years, but we need to ensure they are provided with the support they need to deliver the best outcomes for their pupils.
For every pound spent on schools in England, the Labour Government in Cardiff Bay receives £1.20 to spend here – yet in spite of this, according to teaching union NASUWT, each pupil in Wales receives over £800 less per year than they should.
Instead of making cuts to the Education budget, the focus should be on investing more in our teachers and schools so that the next generation in Wales has the best possible chance to reach their full potential.
This week in the Senedd, Welsh Conservatives put forward a motion calling on the Welsh Government to:
a) prioritise children’s education by getting 5,000 more teachers back into classrooms;
b) ensure those with additional learning needs are provided with the right support sooner, with no cuts made to additional learning needs in the 2024-25 budget;
c) reintroduce a form of standardised testing across schools and local authorities to help parents and teachers monitor learner progress at key stages and compare performance;
d) develop an enhanced programme for more able and talented learners; and
e) scrap the regional education consortia and invest savings made into school budgets.
With Wales languishing at the bottom of international league tables, Labour must focus on what matters and ditch their costly plans for more politicians, and instead invest in our schools and reduce the ever-widening attainment gap. Our children deserve no less.
