A million-pound project to create an anti-racist virtual world has been branded a “complete and utter waste of taxpayer cash” by Natasha Asghar MS.
The Welsh Government has spent £1.2m devising a metaverse with the aim of it being used in colleges across the country as a way of teaching about anti-racism.
However, the materials cover topics including “white privilege”, “black feminism”, “decolonising politics”, and “sociology through an anti-racist lens.”
Reports suggest the platform also explores how “whiteness” manifests in language, policy and research, and how privilege can affect social, educational and workplace settings.
It is understood the platform had labelled a campaign leaflet by former Wales Secretary and Monmouthshire MP David TC Davies as an example of "dog whistling" over his calls for greater consultation on traveller site developments.
The Welsh Conservatives have criticised the expenditure, arguing that at a time when frontline services are under severe pressure, public money should be focused on core priorities.
Commenting, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, Natasha Asghar MS said:
“Spending over £1.2 million of taxpayers’ money on Labour and Plaid’s anti-racist metaverse is a complete waste of taxpayer’s money. With the aim of it being used in colleges across the country as a way of teaching them about anti-racism and how ‘white privilege’ affects social, educational and workplace settings.
“At a time when waiting lists are spiralling, A&E performance is worsening and our school standards are slipping, this represents another example of Labour and Plaid Cymru prioritising ideology over frontline services.
“People across Wales want money spent on health, schools and social care, not on virtual worlds that do nothing to tackle the real-world challenges facing families and communities.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The full Written Question can be found below:
Natasha Asghar (South Wales East):
How much public money has been spent on the Welsh Government's anti racist metaverse? (WQ98214)
How many colleges have used the Welsh Government's anti racist metaverse? (WQ98215)
Vikki Howells: The anti-racist virtual world, commonly referred to as the Metaverse, was developed and delivered by further education (FE) colleges, led by Cardiff and Vale College, as part of the wider FE anti-racism curriculum programme. Since 2024, responsibility for funding decisions related to the resource rests with Medr, the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research.
The Welsh Government have invested £1,204,326.55 in the further education curriculum for anti-racism, also known as the Metaverse, since 2022.
All Welsh Colleges have used the Metaverse, as part of the further education curriculum.
