Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy, has called on the Welsh Government to urgently review education reforms over the school Easter holiday.
The calls come following the damning report on education in Wales from the Institute of Fiscal Studies, which found that:
• The new Curriculum for Wales should place greater emphasis on specific knowledge
• Reforms to GCSEs should be delayed to give proper time to consider their effects on long-term outcomes, teacher workload and inequalities
• More data on pupil skill levels and the degree of inequality in attainment are needed and should be published regularly
• A move towards school report cards, alongside existing school inspections, could be an effective way to provide greater information for parents without any return to league tables.
Commenting on the pressure on schools in Aberconwy, Janet said:
“Even though an exceptional effort is made by teachers and support staff to provide education for our children and young people, it is the sad case that Wales have the lowest PISA results in the UK, and poor educational outcomes.
“Teachers are not to blame. School staff are not to blame. The reality is that the education system in Wales would collapse if there wasn’t so much good will shown by educators such as here in Aberconwy.
“We have secondary schools using the new curriculum in years 7 and 8, but the pupils will still be facing traditional GCSE, subject based exams. If that is how they are going to be assessed, urgent attention is needed to ensure that the curriculum, as the IFS has recommended, places greater emphasis on specific knowledge.
“I will not stand by whilst schools in Aberconwy and their pupils are being undermined by an ineffective education policy. Ultimately, it could have a negative impact on the whole lives of our youngest generation. The Easter holiday is a perfect time for a review”.
ENDS
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders, AS Aberconwy, wedi galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i adolygu diwygiadau addysg ar frys yn ystod gwyliau’r Pasg.
Daw'r galwadau yn dilyn yr adroddiad damniol ar addysg yng Nghymru gan y Sefydliad Astudiaethau Cyllid (IFS) a ddywedodd:
• Dylai'r Cwricwlwm newydd i Gymru roi mwy o bwyslais ar wybodaeth benodol
• Dylid gohirio diwygiadau i TGAU er mwyn rhoi amser priodol i ystyried eu heffeithiau ar ddeilliannau hirdymor, llwyth gwaith athrawon ac anghydraddoldebau
• Mae angen mwy o ddata ar lefelau sgiliau disgyblion a graddau'r anghydraddoldeb o ran cyrhaeddiad a dylid eu cyhoeddi'n rheolaidd
• Gallai symud tuag at gardiau adrodd ysgolion, ochr yn ochr â’r arolygiadau ysgol presennol, fod yn ffordd effeithiol o ddarparu rhagor o wybodaeth i rieni heb ddychwelyd at dablau cynghrair.
Wrth sôn am y pwysau ar ysgolion Aberconwy, dywedodd Janet:
“Er bod athrawon a staff cymorth yn gweithio'n aruthrol o galed i ddarparu addysg i'n plant a'n pobl ifanc, tristwch y sefyllfa yw mai Cymru sydd â'r canlyniadau PISA isaf yn y DU, a deilliannau addysgol gwael.
“Nid yr athrawon sydd ar fai. Nid staff ysgolion sydd ar fai. Y gwir amdani yw y byddai'r system addysg yng Nghymru yn chwalu pe na bai cymaint o ewyllys da yn cael ei ddangos gan addysgwyr fel sy’n digwydd yma yn Aberconwy.
“Mae gennym ysgolion uwchradd sy'n defnyddio'r cwricwlwm newydd ym mlynyddoedd 7 ac 8, ond bydd y disgyblion yn dal i wynebu arholiadau traddodiadol TGAU sy'n seiliedig ar bynciau. Os mai dyna sut byddan nhw'n cael eu hasesu, mae angen sylw brys i sicrhau bod y cwricwlwm yn rhoi mwy o bwyslais ar wybodaeth benodol, fel y mae'r IFS yn ei argymell.
“Alla’i ddim llaesu dwylo tra bod ysgolion Aberconwy a'u disgyblion yn cael eu tanseilio gan bolisi addysg aneffeithiol. Gallai gael effaith negyddol ar fywydau ein cenhedlaeth ieuengaf yn y pen draw. Mae gwyliau'r Pasg yn gyfle delfrydol i adolygu’r sefyllfa".
DIWEDD
