Wales’s Education performance falls to its lowest-ever.
Wales continues to be below the OECD average and has ranked bottom of the performance table for UK nations since joining PISA in 2006. The tests were taken in 81 countries in 2022 and are seen as an important measure of education systems.
All other UK nations had better results than the international average. In Wales, it was more than 3% below average. Singapore is top again (a score of 543), followed by Ireland and Japan (516). Wales is ranked between Slovenia and the Netherlands.
The Pisa results for science saw the average score in Wales drop from 488 to 473 - a much larger fall than in the other UK nations.
Montgomeryshire Senedd member Russell George MS has called the results disappointing.
Commenting, Mr George said:
‘’The PISA results for Wales are the worst on record which is very disappointing, and I also fear for the future of schools in Powys.
The Welsh Government have cut the Education budget and on the back of these results, we should be giving teachers and students the resources and curriculum they need to boost education standards. Sadly, Wales is the lowest performing region in the UK but it’s also the one with the steepest decline. The Welsh Government need an urgent rethink because Welsh children and teachers deserve better support.’’
In North Powys there are current proposals to change the language category of Ysgol Bro Caereinion to a Welsh Medium School. I have serious concerns that parents and primary schools that feed into Ysgol Bro Caereinion were not adequately consulted ahead of these proposals coming forward. Despite very clear commitments made ahead of the May 2022 Powys County Council election not to close rural schools, the Liberal Democrat led Council have brought forward a series of proposals to close several rural schools.
I have further concern with the Councils Free Home to School transport policy, which is in urgent need of being revised, as the current policy is not fair or reasonable.’’
