Sincere congratulations to students across North Wales/Aberconwy, who have received their A Level and GSCE results over the last few weeks. Over the next few weeks, you’ll be starting a new chapter in your lives – whether than be University, Sixth Form or College, or a new job or apprenticeship. Whatever your chosen path, the very best of luck to you all – I know you’ll go on to do North Wales/Aberconwy proud!
Our students should be particularly commended for improved performance in GCSE Welsh Second Language, and the Science subjects. Their fantastic results this year are a credit to their hard work and diligence, particularly when set against the backdrop of a Welsh Labour Government who have shamefully admitted to taking its eye off the ball on education and confessed that they should apologise to young people. The 2012 PISA results for Wales were the lowest in the UK – the worst in Western Europe – and the OECD has criticised the Welsh Government for lacking a long-term vision.
For the sake of our children, we need to see real, progressive action over education in Wales. For far too long we have lagged behind England, despite clear promises from the First Minister to challenge English results. These promises have not been kept, and this year – again – we have seen the attainment gap between Welsh and English students widening. This needs addressing, urgently, to ensure the best possible future for our children and for Wales.
Whilst apologising for the Welsh Government’s poor record on education in 2013, the Minister for Education and Skills, has previously said that it is incumbent on the people of Wales to demand more from their education system. We have seen little improvement since that apology over 20 months ago, and so we must continue to demand more!
Shockingly, recent figures have shown that a fifth of the Welsh Government’s £2.5bn schools budget never reaches the classroom. With my Welsh Conservative colleagues in the National Assembly for Wales, I am campaigning for direct funding for schools, to end this scandal and ensure that money allocated for education reaches our children and hard-working teachers.
I won’t stop fighting for a better deal for the children and young people of Wales, to ensure that they are guaranteed the best possible start in adult lives. So now, whilst families across North Wales/Aberconwy celebrate their children’s futures, the Welsh Government must seriously consider theirs.