LEARNING KEY TO MAKING WALES MORE COMPETITIVE
December 20th, 2006
COMMENTING on new figures which show that Wales has a higher proportion of adults of working age without qualifications compared with England and Scotland, Welsh Conservative education spokesman William Graham AM said:
“Improving standards in education is absolutely vital if Wales is to meet the challenges presented by today’s increasingly competitive global economy.
“After last week’s news of a widening wealth gap between Wales and the rest of the UK, this is yet another indication that the long-term diagnosis for the Welsh economy is far from encouraging.
“The gap between Wales and other nations of the United Kingdom is worrying, especially as there are growing concerns that standards in core subjects such as maths, English and Welsh appear to be falling among school children.
“Without the basic skills in English, Maths, Science and Welsh, students will lack the tools needed to further their education or enter the world of work.
“Without properly qualified recruits, Welsh firms will be at a considerable disadvantage to rivals around the world.
“Despite all her talk, it is clear that the agenda being pursued by the Education Minister is failing to improve the skills needed to make Wales a world class learning country.
“It is also a matter of grave concern that 13,500 children in Wales have left school without any qualifications since Labour took control of the Assembly in 1999.
“This is a stark reminder of the consistent neglect of Labour’s forgotten children.”
ENDS
The figures are contained in the Assembly Government statistical release Levels of Highest Qualification held by Working Age Adults, 2005. It can be found at: http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/headlines/post16ed-2006/hdw200612193/?lang=en
Figures also published this week revealed that an estimated 38,300 (17 per cent of the total age group 19 to 24-year-olds) were not engaged in education or training nor in employment.
Of those 38,300 19-24 year olds estimated to be not engaged in education or training nor employment, 10,800 were unemployed and 27,600 were economically inactive.
More details can be found at: http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/headlines/post16ed-2006/hdw200612192/?lang=en
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