The Welsh Government’s Education Minister has failed to confirm
that a target to improve Welsh pupils' scores in global education
tests remains in place.
In response to a question from South Wales Central AM,
, the Lib Dem Member
propping up the Labour administration, , refused to restate the
Welsh Government’s previous target of achieving a score of 500 in
every subject in the Pisa tests by 2021.
There has been controversy over the target ever since the
former First Minister, , brought the Brecon and
Radnorshire AM into his cabinet following the 2016 Assembly
Election.
In June 2017,
, told the Assembly's
Children, Young People and Education Committee, that it was not
“her target”, only to be slapped down the following
week by in FMQs, who
stated "achieving 500 in 2021 remains the Welsh Government's
target.”
Introduced in 2014, the target replaced the previous aim of
seeing Wales ranked among the top 20 best-performing countries by
2015. Students in Wales were the lowest of the UK nations in
science, reading and maths in the 2016 tests, scoring 478 in
maths, 477 in reading, and 485 in science.
The Pisa tests - a major study of educational performance -
are taken by 15-year-olds in 72 countries every three
years.
Commenting on the latest confusion, South Wales
Central AM, , said:
“It’s been well-known since the Education Minister entered
Labour’s cabinet that she’s been very uncomfortable with the
Welsh Government’s Pisa target, and this latest answer only adds
to the confusion on whether it remains in place.
“Schools in my region need clear leadership and targets
from the government, and ’ refusal to adhere to her
own government’s target is only going to make things difficult
for officials in her department and those on the frontline in our
classrooms.
“There is no reason why children in South Wales cannot
achieve as well as other UK nations and if Wales as a country is
to rise up the rankings and compete with the world's very best
education systems then we need an ambitious target, and a clear
strategy to deliver that target.
“The new First Minister must immediately clarify this
position and what target, if any, his Labour-led administration
is now setting for the Pisa education tests in Wales.”
Ends/
Notes to editors:
A copy of the question is attached and provided
below.
13. Andrew R.T. Davies South Wales Central Will
the Minister outline the Welsh Government's targets for the 2021
PISA education tests? OAQ53341
: We are making
strides in our national mission for education – to raise
standards, reduce the attainment gap, and deliver an education
system that is a source of national pride.
Links to previous Pisa stories involving the Education
Minister, , are included for ease of
reference above.
