North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has called on the Welsh Government to respond to calls by Colegau Cymru - Colleges Wales for the Welsh Government ‘to provide a legal basis for learners aged 14-16 to progress to vocational and technical pathways provided independently via Further Education Institutions’.
Raising the matter with the First Minister during yesterday’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, Mr Isherwood said Welsh Conservatives called for two equal education streams from the age of 14, academic and vocational, many years ago.
He said:
“The Policy Recommendations for the Next Welsh Government published in March by Colegau Cymru - Colleges Wales included: To “Build on the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill and the consequential impact on 14-19 learning pathways to provide a legal basis for learners aged 14-16 to progress to vocational and technical pathways provided independently via Further Education Institutions, and the necessary funding to support these learners.”
“It is now many years since Welsh Conservatives called for the creation of two equal education streams, beginning at age 14, academic and vocational, one alongside the other, giving pupils the chance to develop important skills before embarking on their chosen career paths.
“How does your Welsh Government therefore respond to this Colegau Cymru recommendation and what engagement is it having with the Further Education sector regarding this?”
In his response, the First Minister stated “the new curriculum does provide, from the age of 14 onwards, equal access to both of those courses, and we will continue to work with the sector.”
Speaking outside the meeting, Mr Isherwood added:
“I regret that Mr Drakeford failed to address the key issues raised by Colegau Cymru: provision of ‘a legal basis for learners aged 14-16 to progress to vocational and technical pathways provided independently via Further Education Institutions, and the necessary funding to support these learners’.”
ENDS
