The latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results show that Wales's performance has fallen to its lowest level ever in maths, reading and science, the lowest of all UK nations for the fifth consecutive time.
Physical attacks on teachers and knife attacks in Welsh schools are at their highest ever levels.
Under 26 years of Welsh Labour Governments, propped up by Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems, our Welsh education system is broken, and it’s children and young people across Wales who are paying the price.
In the Senedd this week, the Welsh Conservatives brought forward a Senedd motion outlining our plan to fix Wales’s education system, by improving educational outcomes and improving academic rigour.
This includes restoring school discipline, empowering our teachers, and ensuring we have a purpose-driven curriculum.
Commenting after the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, Natasha Asghar MS, said:
“Under Labour, enabled by Plaid Cymru and the Lib Dems, the Welsh education system is broken. Unlike Reform, the Welsh Conservatives have a clear plan to fix Wales’ education system.
“Welsh Conservatives want to improve educational outcomes and academic rigour by restoring discipline, empowering our teachers, and ensuring we have a purpose-driven curriculum.”
“I was disappointed that Labour and Plaid Cymru voted against our plans to correct their mistakes and fix Wales’ failing education system. The Welsh Conservatives are the only party with a credible plan to improve education and deliver a better future for Wales.”
Commenting before the debate, Welsh Conservative Education Advisor, Alun Ebenezer, said:
“Every child deserves a decent education and that starts with restoring discipline in our classrooms, improving academic rigour, and providing the support that teachers need.
“It's clear that only the Welsh Conservatives have a credible plan to deliver the positive change our education system needs.”
The motion debated on Wednesday read as follows:
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Regrets that:
a) the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results show that Wales's performance has fallen to its lowest level ever in maths, reading and science, the lowest of all UK nations for the fifth consecutive time; and
b) physical attacks on teachers and knife attacks in Welsh schools are at their highest ever levels.
2. Calls on the Welsh Government to improve educational outcomes and academic rigour by:
a) improving accountability via the introduction of more rigorous school inspections;
b) developing a new accessible Welsh school performance database to promote learner and parental choice;
c) enabling the establishment of academy schools in Wales to encourage innovation;
d) restoring discipline and respect in schools via a crackdown on poor behaviour, including the automatic exclusion of learners who bring knives and other weapons into a school;
e) improving teacher retention and authority by stamping out pupil defiance;
f) empowering schools to ban mobile phones in Welsh classrooms, and encourage children to safely use AI and technology;
f) instilling rigour in our education system through the mandatory teaching of phonics; and
g) ensuring a purpose-driven curriculum which supports the formation of essential life-skills, including mandatory home economics and the importance of personal responsibility, healthy eating, budgeting and independent living.
