This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-24100950
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Welsh Lib Dems blast education standards under Labour | Welsh Lib Dems blast education standards under Labour |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Children in schools in Wales are in danger of falling further behind their counterparts in England, claims the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. | Children in schools in Wales are in danger of falling further behind their counterparts in England, claims the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. |
| Kirsty Williams said more money was being spent per pupil in England which was an "inequality" in the system. | |
| She was speaking before addressing the Liberal Democrats' UK conference in Glasgow on Monday. | She was speaking before addressing the Liberal Democrats' UK conference in Glasgow on Monday. |
| The Welsh government said it was providing funding to support disadvantaged pupils. | |
| Ms Williams said education would be a key Lib Dem priority in the next round of deals with Labour on the Welsh budget, and her party would be pressing the issue hard. | Ms Williams said education would be a key Lib Dem priority in the next round of deals with Labour on the Welsh budget, and her party would be pressing the issue hard. |
| Last week, the Welsh Conservatives accused Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats of being too cosy and "settling for chicken feed" in budget deals with Labour. | Last week, the Welsh Conservatives accused Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats of being too cosy and "settling for chicken feed" in budget deals with Labour. |
| But Ms Williams, who is Assembly Member for Brecon and Radnorshire, rejected those claims. | But Ms Williams, who is Assembly Member for Brecon and Radnorshire, rejected those claims. |
| "We are committed to giving everyone a chance to get on in life," she told BBC's Sunday Politics Wales programme. | "We are committed to giving everyone a chance to get on in life," she told BBC's Sunday Politics Wales programme. |
| "We want more money for the education of our poorest children not only for their sake but for the sake of the Welsh economy in the future - and if the Tories aren't interested in that, that's very disappointing. | "We want more money for the education of our poorest children not only for their sake but for the sake of the Welsh economy in the future - and if the Tories aren't interested in that, that's very disappointing. |
| "I care about the education of our poorest children, I care about creating a stronger economy and a fairer society in Wales and that's what I'm committed to doing." | "I care about the education of our poorest children, I care about creating a stronger economy and a fairer society in Wales and that's what I'm committed to doing." |
| There has been concern that the exam results of students in Wales have been trailing those of their counterparts elsewhere. | There has been concern that the exam results of students in Wales have been trailing those of their counterparts elsewhere. |
| GCSE passes at A*-C in Wales this year were 65.7% compared to 67.9% in England and 76.5% in Northern Ireland. | GCSE passes at A*-C in Wales this year were 65.7% compared to 67.9% in England and 76.5% in Northern Ireland. |
| Assembly Members return to the assembly from their summer recess on 23 September. | Assembly Members return to the assembly from their summer recess on 23 September. |
| With 30 out of the 60 seats in the assembly chamber, Labour needs support from one of the other parties to get its budgets passed. | With 30 out of the 60 seats in the assembly chamber, Labour needs support from one of the other parties to get its budgets passed. |
| Ministers will publish their draft budget on 8 October, kicking off a round of inter-party talks which give the opposition a chance to extract concessions from Carwyn Jones's minority administration. | Ministers will publish their draft budget on 8 October, kicking off a round of inter-party talks which give the opposition a chance to extract concessions from Carwyn Jones's minority administration. |
| 'Highest standard' | 'Highest standard' |
| And Ms Williams said education would be a priority going into those talks. | And Ms Williams said education would be a priority going into those talks. |
| "Why should it be that a pupil from the poorest background in Wrexham gets £450 extra for their education whereas if they were across the border in Cheshire, they'd get £1,500?" she added. | "Why should it be that a pupil from the poorest background in Wrexham gets £450 extra for their education whereas if they were across the border in Cheshire, they'd get £1,500?" she added. |
| "That's an inequality. Welsh children are in danger of being left further behind because of the Welsh Labour government. | "That's an inequality. Welsh children are in danger of being left further behind because of the Welsh Labour government. |
| "Education used to be of the highest, highest standard in Wales - something we prided ourselves on - but unfortunately after a decade of Labour rule in Cardiff, we've slipped further behind. | "Education used to be of the highest, highest standard in Wales - something we prided ourselves on - but unfortunately after a decade of Labour rule in Cardiff, we've slipped further behind. |
| "I want to change that and I want to start with the children who need the help the most. | "I want to change that and I want to start with the children who need the help the most. |
| "We are going to keep pressing the Welsh Labour government to do the right thing." | "We are going to keep pressing the Welsh Labour government to do the right thing." |
| The Welsh government said the education minister had "identified eradicating deprivation as one of his top three priorities as did the former education minister". | |
| "Funding through the pupil deprivation grant has been introduced to allow flexibility for schools to support pupils who are disadvantaged," said a spokesperson. | |
| Labour AM Jenny Rathbone told Sunday Politics Wales: "We all recognise that we need to improve our education system and the Welsh Labour government is improving the education system. | Labour AM Jenny Rathbone told Sunday Politics Wales: "We all recognise that we need to improve our education system and the Welsh Labour government is improving the education system. |
| "We have to ensure that we do at least as well as the rest of the UK as a whole but we actually have ambitions to do better than that. | "We have to ensure that we do at least as well as the rest of the UK as a whole but we actually have ambitions to do better than that. |
| "We really need to have the skilled workforce that employers tell us they need. We're putting a huge amount of effort into getting more students studying the science, engineering, technology and maths subjects which we know employers are saying they need more of. | "We really need to have the skilled workforce that employers tell us they need. We're putting a huge amount of effort into getting more students studying the science, engineering, technology and maths subjects which we know employers are saying they need more of. |
| "We need to ensure that our education system is serving the needs of our pupils and of our economy." | "We need to ensure that our education system is serving the needs of our pupils and of our economy." |
| Last month, the Tories said they would revive "the best elements" of the old grammar school system if they were in power. | Last month, the Tories said they would revive "the best elements" of the old grammar school system if they were in power. |