Education: build on what we have, but do better.

EconomyPeople
ViewsFebruary 22nd, 2011

In two major speeches recently, Leighton Andrews has provided both challenge and future direction for the schools system in Wales. It may be possible to quibble over some aspects of his evidence and to question parts of his solutions, but it is undeniable that he is right to highlight the need we have to improve and to question our current resolve.

Like many other people in Wales, including students, parents and teachers I’m intensely proud about what we have achieved over the last decade and more in education. For thirteen years I taught in two valley comprehensive schools. Since then I have worked variously as a teacher trainer, a school inspector, a researcher and a policy adviser to government and undertaken a range of leadership roles. I’ve always been struck by the progressive and egalitarian values and beliefs that we have about education in Wales. We instinctively see education as a huge public good that should be provided  for all at high quality out of the public purse. I don’t think there is anything wrong with our educational beliefs or aspirations.

I think we should also be proud of what we have done since devolution to fashion education policies that are in tune with these vision and values. The Foundation Phase, the Welsh Bac and the approaches we have taken to student funding in further and higher education are all first rate examples of this.

Participation rates in education and achievement by all of our people – including males and those from disadvantaged backgrounds- are all higher now than they have ever been in our history.But is all of this enough? The answer has to be no. There is still too much variation in our education system – whereby the type of home you come from, your community, your teacher and your schools all impact significantly upon your chances of success. Overall levels of performance are not what we need them to be if our children and future generations are to have a fair chance of thriving in the increasingly competitive world in which they will have to live.

Education has to do better. Not just schools, but at pre-school level ( which as the recent Allen Report has shown is probably the most important area of all) in further, adult and higher education and through the much higher status that we need to give to apprenticeship and work based  forms of learning.

This then will I believe be the greatest challenge to be faced by the fourth Welsh Assembly Government that hopefully after the 3 March will be strengthened with full lawmaking powers.   It will need to lead the way in developing an education system that fulfils both our values and our highest aspirations.

David Egan is professor of education at UWIC

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