Thank you for contacting me regarding teacher’s pay and recruitment.
I agree that the work that teachers do is essential, and this has been made more difficult over the past couple of years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is also concerning that the number of teachers has dropped by 4,000 since 2011, which has further increased pressure on teaching staff in Wales.
Education in Wales is devolved and, as a result, teachers’ pay, recruitment and associated areas are the responsibility of the Labour Welsh Government. As announced in the recent UK Budget that you alluded to, the UK Conservative Government has committed to increasing the Welsh Government budget by £2.5 billion per year for the next three years. This is the largest annual funding settlement increase since devolution began.
I agree that investment in public services is important, and believe that these increases from the UK Government to the Welsh Government will potentially allow them to target key funding towards schools over the coming years, for the benefit of pupils and teachers alike.
My Welsh Conservative colleagues and I are also urging the Welsh Government to carry out a number of measures which will bolster the number of teachers across the country. This includes offering incentives, such as refunding tuition fees for those who go on to work as teachers for at least five years in Welsh schools, and guaranteeing all newly qualified teachers with at least one year of employment in a Welsh school or college.
Thank you for taking the time to write to me.