The crisis in funding for schools and colleges in Wales. Motion 22

NEU Cymru, Wales’s largest education union, is calling for the Welsh Government to prioritise educational funding and investment, as a matter of urgency.

The National Education Union Cymru is concerned about the continued funding crisis in schools and colleges in Wales. Insufficient money has been going into the education system and it is estimated that students in Wales receive up to £700 per annum less than pupils in England.

NEU Cymru is also calling on the Welsh Government to draft consistent and clear guidelines for local authorities to follow on spending in schools, and to ensure that the individual full time learner funding received by Further Education colleges is reviewed annually against any Cost-of-Living Increases, to further ensure that year-on-year learners receive comparable education to previous years, without increased funding issues.

Stuart Williams, Wales Policy Officer of the National Education Union Cymru, said:

“NEU Cymru acknowledges that the Welsh Government are somewhat restricted by monies they receive from the UK Government in Westminster, with the real terms budget being estimated at £4 billion less over the next three years. To some extent, their hands are tied, but the Welsh Government are also responsible for how they spend their budget.

“The Welsh Government must implement policies and guidelines to clear up the “funding fog” across Wales, ensuring that there is a consistent approach that all local authorities can implement and be held accountable for. The Welsh Government must prioritise educational funding and investment, as a matter of urgency. The future of education is at stake and schools, educators and most importantly, students, are too important not to invest in!”

ENDS

The text of the motion to conference on this issue was as follows:

Motion 22. The crisis in funding for schools and colleges in Wales

Conference Cymru notes that there has been a funding crisis in schools and colleges across Wales, for years.  Insufficient money has been going into the education system and it is estimated that students in Wales receive up to £700 per annum less than pupils in England. This cannot and must not be allowed to continue. 

Conference Cymru acknowledges that the Welsh Government are somewhat restricted by monies they receive from the government in Westminster, with the real terms budget being estimated at £4 billion less over the next three years.  To some extent, their hands are tied.

However, Conference Cymru also notes that the WG are also partially responsible for this crisis and therefore have to be held to account. Much could be done to resolve the funding fog in Wales if WG overhauled the way that monies are divided between the local authorities with huge differences around Wales. The WG must prioritise educational funding and investment, as a matter of urgency. The future of education is at stake and schools, educators and most importantly, students, are too important not to!

Conference Cymru instructs the Executive to liaise with the First Minister and the Education Minister and encourage them to put increased pressure on the UK Government to address the issue of funding in schools and colleges, as a matter of urgency. They must also push the WG to implement policies and guidelines to clear up the “funding fog” across Wales, ensuring that there is a consistent approach that all Local Authorities can implement and be held accountable to.

Conference Cymru calls on the Executive to:

1. Re-launch and actively promote the School Cuts campaign in Wales.

2. Work collaboratively with all other education unions to increase pressure on the Welsh Government.

3. Liaise with all stakeholders including parents, governors, and pupils to ensure the successful re-launch of the campaign.

4. Engage with all major political parties promoting the idea that education funding has to be a priority in Wales.

5. Apply pressure to the WG to draft consistent and clear guidelines for LAs to follow on spending in schools.  

6. Negotiate with Welsh Government to ensure that the individual full time learner funding received by Further Education colleges is reviewed annually against any Cost-of-Living Increases, to further ensure that year on year learners receive comparable education to previous years, without increased funding issues.