By Paul Dicken
20 January 2010
The Welsh Assembly Government is to commission an independent review of education funding as it seeks to meet the first minister’s pledge to increase investment in the sector.
Education Minister Leighton Andrews announced that a two-stage review by external consultants would begin next month to look at how the commitment to ‘refocus’ education funding can be met.
The first stage of the review will be an internal assessment of the cost of administering education in Wales.
‘I want to see more funding going to schools, colleges and universities. To achieve this we must review the real cost of administering education across Wales,’ Andrews said on January 18.
‘It is imperative that we reduce the bureaucracy and streamline the education system to make it lean and effective to benefit our learners.’
He added that improved performance and better efficiency from providers was vital to getting more funding to the front line.
Welsh Conservative education spokesman Paul Davies said there was a ‘wide gap in funding per pupil in Wales compared with England’ and that the gap in university funding also remained unacceptably wide.
'This review has to bring real value and deliver real outcomes,’ he said.
‘Educational reform is desperately needed if we are to stop the growing achievement and funding gap between students in Wales and those in England.’
National Union of Teachers Wales secretary David Evans was hopeful the review would lead to the closure of the funding gap. He said the recommendations for dealing with the issue would be key for the development of Welsh education.
Greg Walker, deputy director of Higher Education Wales, said the review was positive news. ‘An objective examination of the Assembly's investment in HE would be helpful in ensuring that universities can deliver the most for Wales as we seek to lead Wales out of recession,’ he said.
20 January 2010
The Welsh Assembly Government is to commission an independent review of education funding as it seeks to meet the first minister’s pledge to increase investment in the sector.
Education Minister Leighton Andrews announced that a two-stage review by external consultants would begin next month to look at how the commitment to ‘refocus’ education funding can be met.
The first stage of the review will be an internal assessment of the cost of administering education in Wales.
‘I want to see more funding going to schools, colleges and universities. To achieve this we must review the real cost of administering education across Wales,’ Andrews said on January 18.
‘It is imperative that we reduce the bureaucracy and streamline the education system to make it lean and effective to benefit our learners.’
He added that improved performance and better efficiency from providers was vital to getting more funding to the front line.
Welsh Conservative education spokesman Paul Davies said there was a ‘wide gap in funding per pupil in Wales compared with England’ and that the gap in university funding also remained unacceptably wide.
'This review has to bring real value and deliver real outcomes,’ he said.
‘Educational reform is desperately needed if we are to stop the growing achievement and funding gap between students in Wales and those in England.’
National Union of Teachers Wales secretary David Evans was hopeful the review would lead to the closure of the funding gap. He said the recommendations for dealing with the issue would be key for the development of Welsh education.
Greg Walker, deputy director of Higher Education Wales, said the review was positive news. ‘An objective examination of the Assembly's investment in HE would be helpful in ensuring that universities can deliver the most for Wales as we seek to lead Wales out of recession,’ he said.
