RESPONDING to Education Minister Jane Davidson’s defence of the Welsh Baccalaureate, Welsh Conservative education spokesman William Graham AM said:

“By acknowledging that she would need to ‘study the details before deciding the way forward’ Jane Davidson reveals that she did not know about the Prime Minister’s announcement.

“She is totally wrong if her assertion is that the Welsh and International Baccalaureates are not in competition.

“Last night Rhodri Morgan outlined the future challenges for Wales from economic development in India and China.

“How will a Labour administration in Cardiff assist companies from India and China to compare the values of these two qualifications?

“We need to stop concentrating on what is different about the Welsh in Wales and focus solely upon what is best for Wales in a global economy.

“In his announcement, and his rejection of adopting a Welsh style qualification, the Prime Minister was at best not aware of or at worst totally rejected the Welsh model.

“How can the Education Minister expect to be trusted to promote the value of the Welsh Bac if she has failed to communicate this to her own political party decision makers?”

ENDS

For further information, contact /

            Os am wybodaeth bellach, cysylltwch â:

Richard Hazlewood

Chief Press Officer / Prif Swyddog Y Wasg

Welsh Conservatives / Ceidwadwyr Cymreig

029 2089 8395

07957 133832

richard.hazlewood@wales.gov.uk

www.welshconservatives.com

Read our Assembly election campaign blog, Sky Blue Thinking at http://welshconservatives2007.blogspot.com