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Education

Plaid Cymru aiming higher for education

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University: ‘Not the be all and end all’

University: ‘Not the be all and end all’

“WHAT the Welsh Government needs to do,” said Simon Thomas, “is stop complaining about what those nasty Conservatives are doing and start setting out proposals of its own on Welsh education.”

The Plaid Education spokesperson and candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire was very clear on that point when he spoke with The Herald.

“Labour always seems to want to set up a Labour/Conservative fight. I would prefer to concentrate on formulating a Welsh policy, saying this is what we want to do; then, if the UK Treasury doesn’t play fair, we can point out what opportunities have been lost because of it. By just complaining, the current Welsh Government is simply not offering an alternative, positive vision.”

And being positive was very important to Simon Thomas.

“We have just launched our policy from Cradle to Career. That sets out a plan from 3-16 and in the post-16 framework gives a clearer balance between tuition fee policy and apprenticeships.”

Of that policy, Leanne Wood, Plaid’s leader has said: “We are investing in the very early years but also making sure people have a range of choices when they get to fourteen, fifteen and sixteen so that the academic route is not the only option but that there are serious vocational options as well.”

That point is clearly close to Simon Thomas’s own heart: “Last month we announced our plans to create 50,000 additional apprenticeships in Wales. Those would be new apprenticeships. Today, Labour has announced 100,000 apprenticeships in total. There are already 44,000 Welsh apprenticeships, so the level of apprenticeships being offered is in the same direction as our policy. We have made a commitment to show what we would do with the UK Government’s Apprenticeship Levy.

“It was a budget deal we made with Labour which stopped the fall in the numbers of Welsh apprenticeships. So I am, and Plaid is, committed to providing more apprenticeships and – importantly – more higher apprenticeships at Level 4 and beyond. By investing in higher skills there is a huge potential for Wales.”

And as for the narrower party point, Simon Thomas did not mince his words: “A clearer framework is vital. There are a lot of missing pieces in Labour’s plans and they have made no announcement on tuition fees at all.”

He continued: “The Welsh Government has kicked the question of tuition fees into the long grass. That is dishonest. After the election there will be a new Education Minister, Huw Lewis is retiring, and it will be up to them to make a decision the Welsh Government knows has to be made on tuition fees for higher education.”

The Welsh Government commissioned a report into higher education funding in Wales and we asked Simon Thomas about what it reported: “The report (by Professor Sir Ian Diamond) could not be clearer. All of those bodies which responded to it agreed that the current tuition fee policy is completely unsustainable.

“The evidence is overwhelming and unanswerable, but the Welsh Government has decided to wait until October and then probably feign surprise when it is told things have to change. As I say, the Welsh Government’s position on tuition fees is dishonest.

“It was Labour that introduced tuition fees. I fought it every step of the way in Parliament to stop it applying to Wales.

But what of Plaid’s policy?

“We’ve kept some flexibility in our plans, because we don’t know what will be the recommendation about the maintenance element of student support. But we have made it clear that continuing to send £100m of the Welsh block grant to English universities is a non-starter. You could argue that it would be tolerable in times of plenty, but these are times of austerity.

“We need to remember that of the tuition fee loan, the student sees not one penny. The students are funding the universities who are charging the maximum possible. 45% of students do not even reach the level of income where they need to repay the loans made to them.”

We asked where that left Plaid’s policy on tuition fee abatement, the ‘Learning Bonds’ it announced recently: “For a Welsh student studying in England, if they return to Wales within five years of graduation we will offset their tuition fee loan repayments for each full year. We want everyone to be able to study any subject and in any university they want to. But the current tuition fee policy means we give more money to universities outside of Wales than we do inside of Wales. This is unsustainable and Plaid Cymru believes that this is wrong. Our plans will enable students from Wales to study anywhere they want, and will ensure that the Welsh economy can benefit from the talent of Welsh students.

“Under Plaid Cymru’s plans, students from Wales who study a three-year degree will have £18,000 of their loans written off.”

Simon continued: “Our plan acknowledges wages in Wales are generally lower; it means that if you are, for example in London in a wellpaid job, a positive incentive exists for you to take your skills back to Wales.”

He smiled: “Significantly, I think, there’s been no attack on our policy from Labour: I think they are probably looking at something similar.”

Regarding postgraduate funding, Simon Thomas returned to his core grievance about the existing Welsh Government’s approach: “This is an example of where Labour is simply complaining instead of putting forward a positive alternative itself. The Welsh Government should be saying this is what we are going to do and challenging Osborne to allow Welsh students access to the loans system English students will have.

“It’s the usual thing: the Treasury has not considered the Welsh aspect: it is not devolution-aware when it comes to this sort of policy. But the lack of challenge from the Welsh Government, the lack of an alternative policy: that is letting Wales down.”

He continued: “We want to see similar scheme as in England, where from September people studying for postgraduate degrees will have access to loan funding for their studies. What this means is that English students will have tuition fee support for studying in Wales, whereas Welsh students are not eligible for any support to study anywhere.

“Our tuition fee policy will release money back to Hefcw to support part time study, Coleg Cymraeg and postgraduate study for Welsh students. The problem now is that, if we are in government after May it will already be too late to do something this year. There’s simply no headroom in the budget.”

On the deep cuts to the further education sector, Simon Thomas was cautious: “I don’t want to make a firm commitment before seeing the books, I have talked already about £100m being released back through changing the tuition fee policy. £70m of that was taken from HEFCW’s budget, the rest was robbed out of the Further Education budget. So, our higher education policy will release significant money back to FE and enable us to strike a fairer balance.

“A University education is not the be all and end all of education. We have to realise that. Young people need to have more and better choices: at the moment they are all being pointed in one direction – towards Higher Education. We are committed to looking from starting from the position that there is more than one option and that it is possible for young people to develop graduate level skills through further education and higher skills apprenticeships. The benefit for those young people is that they will not have student debt and will have the sort of higher skills that will be an advantage to them and an advantage for Wales.”

Simon reflected: “The problem is around tuition fees. If you want to pack the maximum number of people in for 9K a year, then the cheapest way is humanities but not at a high level. Not with the rigour associated with it. We’re in danger, and unis have said this, of a race to the bottom to feed the machine because everyone comes with 9K a year on their head.

“We have to change that. We have to provide a better infrastructure for young people, not simply churn them through a factory to produce graduates without the skills the economy needs.”

On Welsh Medium Education, Simon Thomas acknowledged: “There is a weakness in College education in Welsh. In sixth forms, there is some provision but that is centred about academic subjects, not things like Gofal Plant and other vocational skills.”

What about locally: “What Pembrokeshire County Council is clearly seeking to do is to scrap sixth forms through a partnership with Pembrokeshire College and then place the onus for post-16 Welsh Medium Education on Ysgol Preseli. I do not see how that can deliver vocational post-16 training in Welsh. There is an extent to which I share the view of Cymdeithas yr Iaith, that post-16 there is an issue about continuing Welsh Medium education post-16.”

He continued: “The important thing about the legislation about reorganisation is that decisions are made locally and not nationally. Local decision-making must come first. I can see people fighting for their schools’ sixth forms, but education has changed enormously. In rural areas, it is sometimes not going to be possible to retain sixth forms that can provide the range of courses needed.”

A wintry smile: “That said, when we’re out and about knocking on doors, Pembrokeshire County Council comes up and has a poor reputation on the doorstep.”

We concluded by asking Simon Thomas about a recent remark made by Carmarthenshire Councillor Meryl Gravell. Ms Gravell opined at a recent Executive Board meeting that the standard of teachers coming out of Wales’s training centres was substandard.

“Let’s put it this way, I don’t think she worded it correctly, or described the problem correctly. The issue is one of the training we give our teachers. It’s not the quality of the individuals, we are not delivering them with the skills they need. There has been a number of failed reorganisations. The problem has been that changes have aimed to provide a little bit for everyone.”

Simon Thomas was generous to Huw Lewis, the outgoing Education Minister: “I believe he is sincere in wanting to put things right with the way teacher training is delivered. We have to focus on preparing teachers for their careers and retaining them. Huw Lewis seems genuinely committed to raising the bar on teacher training.”

And Plaid’s policy: “As part of our Cradle to Career policy, we want teachers in Wales to get to the level of Masters in Education; providing CPD for two years and then a premium for teachers to reach higher standard.

“Teaching is the most important factor in raising schools standards and raising pupils’ attainment. That’s why Plaid Cymru wants to invest in our teachers, helping them remain on the cutting edge of best practice in order to drive up standards and raise attainment levels.

“We will offer teachers and teaching assistants a premium of up to 10% on their pay in return for developing additional skills. Plaid Cymru will reward upskilling and best practice, and will work with the sector to develop a system of accreditation, aiming for 25% of teachers to gain this premium.”

Simon Thomas concluded: “Education is the bedrock of a strong economy, and our plans are aimed at raising children’s attainment and delivering tangible economic benefits.”

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Education

Alarming new Estyn report reveals Welsh education in crisis

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WALES’ education system is in turmoil, with an alarming new report from Estyn exposing deep-rooted issues plaguing schools across the country. The watchdog’s findings highlight “stubbornly low” attendance rates, a critical shortage of teachers, and a growing crisis in pupil behaviour, all of which have worsened under Labour’s leadership of the Welsh Government.

The report warns that the continued failure to address these systemic problems is leading to declining educational standards and increasing pressures on teachers, many of whom are leaving the profession due to stress and inadequate support. With concerns mounting, opposition parties have called for urgent action to reverse the decline and restore confidence in Welsh education.

Schools under pressure

Estyn’s findings reveal a bleak picture of the current state of schools in Wales. Pupil absenteeism remains persistently high, with attendance figures showing no significant improvement since the COVID-19 pandemic. This, coupled with recruitment difficulties, has left many schools struggling to maintain adequate staffing levels, further exacerbating the challenges facing educators.

Adding to the crisis, Estyn highlights deteriorating pupil behaviour, with reports of increased disruption in classrooms leading to talented teachers leaving the profession. The watchdog criticises the Welsh Government for failing to provide clear guidance and sufficient resources to tackle these pressing issues.

Political fallout

Reacting to the report, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, Natasha Asghar MS, condemned Labour’s handling of the education system, stating: “The Welsh Conservatives have long warned about the crises facing our schools—soaring absenteeism, teacher recruitment struggles, and rising school violence.

“Estyn’s report makes it clear that pupil attendance is ‘stubbornly low,’ recruitment issues are undermining educational standards, and pupil behaviour is driving talented professionals out of teaching.

“Labour’s failure to address these challenges has left Welsh education in crisis. Weak guidance, underfunding, and a lack of support for teachers are failing our children. Welsh education is broken under Labour—only the Welsh Conservatives can fix it.”

The Welsh Government has yet to formally respond to the criticisms, but Labour ministers have previously defended their education policies, pointing to ongoing investments in school infrastructure and teacher training programmes. However, critics argue that these efforts have fallen short, leaving schools ill-equipped to tackle the fundamental issues identified in Estyn’s report.

Calls for urgent reform

Education unions and opposition parties are now demanding immediate intervention to prevent further decline. Among the key recommendations are increased funding for schools, stronger behavioural policies, and targeted support for struggling pupils. There are also calls for a review of teacher recruitment strategies to attract and retain high-quality educators.

With Welsh education at a crossroads, the pressure is mounting on the Labour-led government to take decisive action. As schools continue to grapple with these mounting challenges, the future of education in Wales remains uncertain, with many questioning whether real change will be delivered before it is too late.

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Education

Universities facing massive challenges, says funding chief

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THE OUTGOING head of a new public body set up to oversee post-16 education warned of “massive challenges”, with cuts proposed at universities across the country.

Simon Pirotte, chief executive of Medr, which was established in August, appeared before the Senedd’s education committee for a scrutiny meeting on February 6.

Medr is responsible for funding and regulating post-16 education and research, including colleges and school sixth forms unlike its predecessor Hefcw.

Mr Pirotte told the committee: “A lot has happened within that six months and I think we’re really aware of the responsibility of the role at such an important time.

“Let’s be honest: we’re taking over responsibility for post-16 education at a time of great change and some massive challenges.”

Addressing concerns about proposed university job cuts and course closures, he said: “It’s important for me to recognise that we’re probably in a very tumultuous time in education, particularly with some of the proposals around our higher education system at the moment.

“And I just want to go on record as saying we really understand the concerns and the challenges that staff are facing during this difficult time.”

The former Bridgend College principal, who has been in education for nearly 40 years, said the transition from Hefcw to Medr has been smooth despite volatility in the sector.

Mr Pirotte was appointed by education minister Jeremy Miles despite not being part of the initial open application process, prompting concerns around transparency and fairness.

He told Senedd members that Medr is optimistic a good field of candidates will be available to replace him when his term as chief executive ends in September.

James Owen, Medr’s chief operating officer, a former Welsh Government director, said a six-month delay in the legislation coming into force helped get the body up-and-running.

Mr Pirotte stressed the need to establish a “tertiary mindset” to avoid working in silos, creating a more joined-up approach between further and higher education.

The Conservatives’ Natasha Asghar asked about Medr’s assessment of the financial pressures as well as support for Welsh universities to navigate the crisis.

South Wales East Senedd Member Natasha Asghar
South Wales East Senedd Member Natasha Asghar

Mr Pirotte said Medr is monitoring the situation very, very closely but: “There are limits to what we can do, we are a regulator but our job is to appraise Welsh Government of the challenges that our higher education institutions are actually facing.

“We know that many universities are going through transformational change at the moment to ensure their longer-term sustainability.”

Mr Owen added that Medr conducts an in-depth analysis of financial statements, student numbers, forecasts and borrowing levels at each university.

Asked if Medr would intervene to stop proposals for 400 job losses at Cardiff University, Mr Pirotte said: “I think we need to recognise that universities are autonomous organisations and there are limitations to what we can do as a regulator.”

Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru’s shadow education secretary, asked what Medr would like to see happen to place universities on a more sustainable financial footing.

Plaid Cymru MS Cefin Campbell
Plaid Cymru MS Cefin Campbell

Mr Pirotte said: “There is absolutely no doubt that universities across the UK and indeed in Wales are facing some of the most challenging times they’ve faced.

“I’ve listened to Professor Paul Boyle, chair of Universities Wales, saying this is the most difficult time in his career and I agree with that assessment.”

The chief executive told the committee: “As an educationalist, would I like to see more money coming in? Of course I would.”

Explaining that Medr will focus scrutiny on learner protection plans in the event of disruption or closures, he added: “We cannot direct the university to say you must do subject X or Y.”

Mr Pirotte, who was on free school meals at Morriston Comprehensive in Swansea, stressed the importance of ensuring a wide cross-section of society can enjoy the same opportunities.

He said: “We have a systemic issue that we need to address across the UK. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind about the key role that universities have as anchoring institutions in their regions … what they do for economic growth, what they do for individuals.

“And I think there’s a wider question about what kind of university system do we want in the UK and indeed in Wales.”

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Education

School children from Pembrokeshire to learn about nutritious local produce

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NUTRITIOUS, Delicious and Local is the theme of Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s educational Food Story event in March. School children from across the county, from years two to 11, will learn how food and drink are produced locally.

The event, sponsored by NFU Mutual, the CLA Charitable Trust and Women in Wales, will take place on 5 and 6 March 2025 on the Pembrokeshire County Showground. There will be machinery and animals at the event with farmers from across the county on hand to explain practically how they produce food and care for the countryside.

Kathy Wilson, a former teacher and now an Honorary Pembrokeshire Show Governor, is managing the organisation of the event with the staff from the show office on behalf of the Society’s Food Story / Stori Bwyd.

Kathy said, “The response has been extremely positive to our previous Food Story events which have had pancake, barbecue and harvest themes. We hope local school children will learn a lot about where their food comes from when they attend our event in March. We are very grateful to all the farmers and supporters who are volunteering their time to make this event happen.”

During the event, which schools will attend at allotted times, there will also be an opportunity to meet businesses from the local area, learn about health and well-being as well as how science, technology, engineering and mathematics are used to produce food locally. The event will also touch on how the weather and climate can affect the work farmers do and how the crops grow. Children will also get an opportunity to cook and enjoy tasting locally produced food and drink. 

All primary and secondary schools across the county have been contacted inviting them to attend with a booking form to complete as there will be a choice between a morning and afternoon session. If teachers have not received the email but would like to attend the event could they please email the Pembrokeshire Showground Office: [email protected] as soon as possible.

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