WAG must prioritise teacher development to help our children (Preseli Pembrokeshire Liberal Democrats)

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Preseli Pembrokeshire Liberal Democrats <bobkilmister@aol.com>

WAG must prioritise teacher development to help our children

October 22, 2008 12:00 AM
Originally published by Welsh Liberal Democrats

The Welsh Liberal Democrats will today challenge the Assembly Government on their failure to implement policies and structures to ensure quality and professionalism within t teacher recruitment and development

Over recent months concerns have grown over the Assembly's failure to adequately direct funding where it is needed within the system. The Government has continued to invest in training more teachers despite only 41% of the 960 teachers trained in Wales in 2006/2007 going onto teach in Wales. They have failed to address the lack of newcomers signing up to become head teachers and declined to prepare for the impending shortage. They have inadequately invested in teacher development leaving the 2008/09 funding pot empty with 6 months of the year gone.

Kirsty Williams, Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Education said: "At a time when finances are tight at all levels we must make sure that the wheels are well-

-oiled and that the machine is working as efficiently as possible. We must ensure that funds are meticulously pinpointed to exactly where they are needed - there is no room for sloppy decisions anymore.

"The Government has ignored warnings that we must do more to motivate, incentivise and train our existing workforce, as is done in Scotland through the Chartered Teachers Programme, and is taking off in England.

"I am not saying that we must completely stop training new teachers - of course we must not - but we must refocus funds to incentivise teachers to continue to develop and update their teaching skills and to ensure we have a workforce which is up to date and enthusiastic about what they are teaching as they are benefiting from self-develop.

"Recent headlines have cautioned of the trouble brewing in the sector and yet the Furlong report, which warned of this imminent situation, was shelved by WAG several years ago.

"Money is now tighter than ever; we have more and more trained teachers struggling to find employment; the meagre development pot is already empty; 65 per cent of our heads are 50 or over and nearing retirement. Now is the time for the WAG to finally wake up to the need for funding and planning aimed directly at improving the quality, professionalism and drive of our teaching workforce. We have so many great but overworked and stressed teachers who need specific help and support to develop themselves and their teaching. It is not only our teachers who will benefit, ultimately it is also our children."