CONSERVATIVE Shadow Culture Minister Suzy Davies outlined her party’s plans to reform the Welsh education system at the Welsh Conservatives’ annual conference in Llangollen on Saturday (Mar 12).
Ms Davies said: “It doesn’t matter where you live in Wales. Everywhere, there is a genuine understanding that if we don’t get the economy right, then our public services cannot be at their best. After 17 years under Labour, we’ve seen how financial incompetence in government and too much risk aversion in our young population acts as a drag on our economy.
“So when we talk about excellence in education, it’s not just about the stats. It’s about helping people of all ages to become knowledgeable, ethical, creative, curious members of society who are hard wired to embrace responsibility for themselves and for those around them.
“Individuals who are confident enough to challenge inadequacy, to raise those around them and to understand that global and local are both part of the same outlook on life. When you leave a school in Wales, Welsh Conservatives believe that you should look at the world as your oyster and see Wales is the seed pearl.
“Experience the world with our blessing, live your life well, but if you feel the pull home, see Wales as an opportunity and use your experience to help that seed grow.
“It is not fanciful to say that Wales can make a very special offer to the world. This is a nation where we are not psychologically hemmed in by the parochialism of one language. We are a bilingual nation – cenedl dwyieithog – and we can be a trilingual nation with an education system that relishes different talents instead of squashing everyone into the same sausage skin.
“I know that compulsory Welsh in the curriculum has been a dismal experience for many of our young people. That is the fault of the system not the language. Excellence in education means changing the way pupils experience the Welsh language in school and pre-school, helping them understand the value and advantages that confident communication skills give you in the economy, local or global.
“Excellence in education means young children being inquisitive about a third language, in primary school, to play about with it, to recognise it for what it is – communication.
“However ambitious our plans for developing the teaching of science, technology, engineering and maths to help the Welsh economy, nothing is more valuable than one human being being able to communicate with another. And a linguistically agile Wales sends a clear signal to the world that we want to talk to you; we value you and your trade.
“Of course, the Welsh economy won’t flourish if people can’t play their part in it. Many of our multilingual go-getters of the future are still young children, yet to be born even. They need to be looked after while their equally important parents or carers fulfil their own potential and responsibilities by going out to work now.
“Conference, this week the Welsh Conservatives announced the very policy that would have made such a difference to me not so very long ago. The arrival of my children coincided with my early training as a solicitor. I needed to go to work to keep up with my training. I needed childcare. It was excellent.
It cost me more than I earned. We did it because my career would make up the money later but that’s not true for everyone. And women in particular don’t go back to work when they really want to because of problems with childcare. They miss out on career opportunities and, let’s face it, deprive Wales of a pretty valuable and impressive economic asset.
“So, this week, we announced that we would smash down that barrier to full parent participation in the economy, that barrier to equal opportunity – let’s not pretend here – and that barrier – for someone like me anyway – to dignity and sanity.
“We commit to giving you 30 hours free childcare, each week for 38 weeks, when and where you need it – not when and where you’re told to use it. A policy that helps families work – in both senses of the word.
“A policy that helps reduce the pay gap by letting women progress in employment. And a policy that creates new jobs for knowledgeable, ethical, creative, curious and valued childcare providers who, give us a few years, will themselves be the fruit borne of excellence in education.”
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