Last week, I visited Estonia which, twenty years ago, didn’t exist as a democracy or as an economy separate from the USSR. Since then, this small country has experienced staggering economic growth, much of which is attributed to a strong education and training regime focused on the future needs of international and indigenous businesses.
Like many other Nordic and Scandinavian countries, it sees education as the key competitive advantage in the race to create a high value knowledge-based economy.
Compare this to the situation we find ourselves in Wales today. With thousands of jobs being lost in the manufacturing sector, the last thing we can afford to do is to cut the funding to our universities, schools and colleges at a time when it critical to develop the skilled workers of the future who will grow our indigenous businesses and act as the magnet for high value overseas firms.
Yet, perversely, the Welsh Assembly Government has just done that.
Only last week, college principals across Wales made their concerns clear that a funding crisis is looming in the further education sector which will inevitably result in job losses and a reduction in the provision of education to thousands of students. This follows the decision not to provide adequate levels of funding for the Foundation Phase Scheme within Welsh primary schools which will mean that it will be unlikely to succeed properly.
More shockingly, data released by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales showed that the deficit in the public funding of universities in Wales, compared to England rose from £40 million in 2005 to £61 million in 2006 and is predicted to rise to £70 million for 2007.
Whether this will result in less research staff and students being attracted to Wales is conjecture but it does not bode well that applications to Welsh universities are substantially down on last year which again will have a further effect on funding in the future.
We keep hearing the sheer hypocrisy from politicians that they want Wales to be a small clever country at a time when they are cutting investment in the education system. From the primary school to the university, there is drastic need for increased funding at all levels.
When will politicians understand that not only is a properly financed further and higher education sector vital for Wales to compete successfully in a global economy, but the evidence is overwhelming that participating in excellence in education at a primary and secondary level is the pathway by which many children within deprived communities escape the poverty trap.
As shown by the row of the closure of primary schools across Wales, the recent local authority elections showed that many voters are sick of politicians and officials playing with their children’s education, which is the most valuable gift that can be given to any child.
The education budgets of local authorities should be absolutely sacrosanct. By all means, councillors can make policy decisions to cut grants to businesses, change refuse collection times and re-examine the funding to social services but they should not, under any circumstances, mortgage the future of young people across Wales.
Similarly, Ministers within the Assembly Government must take another long hard look at their budget and ensure that the funding of schools, colleges and universities takes precedence over any pet project.
To paraphrase President Bill Clinton, ‘it’s education, stupid’, and it is time for politicians at a local and national level in Wales to ensure that the children of Wales are their number one priority.
Like many other Nordic and Scandinavian countries, it sees education as the key competitive advantage in the race to create a high value knowledge-based economy.
Compare this to the situation we find ourselves in Wales today. With thousands of jobs being lost in the manufacturing sector, the last thing we can afford to do is to cut the funding to our universities, schools and colleges at a time when it critical to develop the skilled workers of the future who will grow our indigenous businesses and act as the magnet for high value overseas firms.
Yet, perversely, the Welsh Assembly Government has just done that.
Only last week, college principals across Wales made their concerns clear that a funding crisis is looming in the further education sector which will inevitably result in job losses and a reduction in the provision of education to thousands of students. This follows the decision not to provide adequate levels of funding for the Foundation Phase Scheme within Welsh primary schools which will mean that it will be unlikely to succeed properly.
More shockingly, data released by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales showed that the deficit in the public funding of universities in Wales, compared to England rose from £40 million in 2005 to £61 million in 2006 and is predicted to rise to £70 million for 2007.
Whether this will result in less research staff and students being attracted to Wales is conjecture but it does not bode well that applications to Welsh universities are substantially down on last year which again will have a further effect on funding in the future.
We keep hearing the sheer hypocrisy from politicians that they want Wales to be a small clever country at a time when they are cutting investment in the education system. From the primary school to the university, there is drastic need for increased funding at all levels.
When will politicians understand that not only is a properly financed further and higher education sector vital for Wales to compete successfully in a global economy, but the evidence is overwhelming that participating in excellence in education at a primary and secondary level is the pathway by which many children within deprived communities escape the poverty trap.
As shown by the row of the closure of primary schools across Wales, the recent local authority elections showed that many voters are sick of politicians and officials playing with their children’s education, which is the most valuable gift that can be given to any child.
The education budgets of local authorities should be absolutely sacrosanct. By all means, councillors can make policy decisions to cut grants to businesses, change refuse collection times and re-examine the funding to social services but they should not, under any circumstances, mortgage the future of young people across Wales.
Similarly, Ministers within the Assembly Government must take another long hard look at their budget and ensure that the funding of schools, colleges and universities takes precedence over any pet project.
To paraphrase President Bill Clinton, ‘it’s education, stupid’, and it is time for politicians at a local and national level in Wales to ensure that the children of Wales are their number one priority.
Comments
Not schools under any circumstances!
Can it afford not to invest in education, especially within our universities?
http://welshlobbyist.blogspot.com/2008/05/why-wag-still-needs-education-education.html
Ironically, its been down to many UK specialists that they have come on as the have. Back to in Wales, not recognising the talent we have here.
Its getting repetitive but may be conditioning may get results.
All of this very much following the Irish model but the biggest asset in transforming these countries was consensus about the way forward across political parties, business leaders, trade union, churches to all pull in one direction for however long it took to establish the country, its government and economy.
This consensus certainly isn't apparent in Wales, as all commentators have said the fact we are still talking about fully utilising our Welsh Universities in 2008 paints a sorry picture.
http://younoodle.com/
Nevertheless, although I have no doubts that we should be spending more on 'education', I just wonder if the right things are being taught by the right teachers. The number of highly educated MBAs, BScs, MAs and PhDs stacking shelves in Tesco is also worrying.
We are all aware of the inverse relationship between intelligence and ability to do a proper job. We may laugh or scoff at the idiocy of the Apprentice candidates but I have met people like this!
They are not fit to run Wales as they are doing, let alone give them more powers!