The Leader of the Welsh Conservatives has called for Labour First Minister Carwyn Jones to give an ironclad guarantee that pupils starting school in September will be entering an education system that will not continue to languish at the bottom of UK league tables.
Writing for the Daily Post, Andrew RT Davies urged Welsh Labour to get its eye back on the ball, stop blaming teachers, and take responsibility for its own failures in Welsh education.
His comments follow an admission of failure by Carwyn Jones during a debate on Radio 4’s ‘Any Questions’ on Friday January 24th. Speaking about the education system in Wales during the programme, Mr Jones said ‘we took our eye off the ball’.
Welsh Conservatives have repeatedly called for Labour ministers in Wales to admit past failures, put an end to meddling with qualifications and the curriculum, and implement measures that will guarantee immediate improvement.
This summer will see more and more teenagers leaving an education system that was managed by a devolved Labour-led government throughout their time in the classroom.
Referring to clear Welsh Labour failure in his Daily Post column, Mr Davies said:
“The latest evidence? Last week’s report by the Chief Inspector of Schools. The conclusion? ‘In the main’ – standards have not improved. ‘Excellent schools remain in a small minority’ and the proportion of secondary schools branded unsatisfactory has increased. This follows last year’s PISA results. These are global tests in reading and writing that show Wales languishing at the bottom of the UK league table with no improvement on the last set of results. That’s despite Welsh Labour’s promises to the contrary.
At Christmas, their education minister apologised in a press interview. Two weeks ago, Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones admitted his party had ‘taken our eye off the ball’. That’s where the blame lies. Not with pupils. Not with teachers. But within Welsh Labour Government – and at the desks of Labour’s succession of education ministers.”
Mr Davies goes on to outline Welsh Conservative education policy – and calls for a guarantee that this year’s school-starters can look forward to clear improvement in Labour’s management of the education system:
“I want to see teachers, parents and governors across North Wales given more freedom to make the decisions that affect their own schools and impact upon their pupils and children. Free up their time – trust in them – support them. A third of the schools budget is eaten up by bureaucracy. That money can go to the frontline and address the underfunding of schools. Instead of meddling with qualifications and the curriculum, Welsh Labour should be looking at the crying need for a middle phase in the North Wales education system. As it stands – children between the ages of eight and 14 are being forgotten. Welsh Conservatives want the sudden switch from a single form teacher in primary school – to a number of specialist teachers in secondary school – to be examined and considered for review. Let’s help children make that switch and better guide them towards their GCSEs.
“Our children deserve the very best start in life and our hard-working teachers deserve the very best support. I don’t want to see four and five year olds starting school this September in a system that is still languishing at the bottom of UK league tables. I want to see them entering a vibrant and successful schooling system that will set them up for life.
“Carwyn Jones – give us all a guarantee that this will happen.”
