OECD review of education in Wales welcomed by Minister
10 Apr 2014 04:24 PM
The publication of a
major international review of education in Wales has been welcomed by Education
and Skills Minister Huw Lewis
Improving Schools in Wales: An
OECD Perspective was commissioned by the Welsh Government in December
2012.
The OECD were asked to provide
an external assessment of the quality and equity of education outcomes in
Wales; expert analysis of key aspects of education policy and to highlight
areas of policy and its implementation which might add value and improve
education outcomes for young people in Wales.
Speaking on the findings of the
report Huw Lewis said:
"I’d like to
personally thank the OECD for this comprehensive and exacting report.
It’s important if you want to be the best that you learn from the
best.
"I welcome the
report’s findings and am heartened that we’re already doing much of
what has been recommended as part of our reform of education standards in
Wales. It’s good to see that the direction of travel we’ve set is
the right one.
"I was particularly
encouraged to see the sentence which says – ‘Welsh schools are also
positive learning environments with good teacher-student relations and
classrooms conducive to learning.’ That’s good news.
"I take on board the recommendations which call for improvements to
teacher training and Continuing Professional Development. I agree with the need
for stronger school to school collaboration; improved school leadership and
raising the esteem in which out teachers are held. These are central to our
school improvement agenda.
"The call for a small
number of clear, long term objectives is sound. I whole heartedly agree that we
should have high expectations all of our leaners, regardless of their
background, if they are to gain the skills and qualifications they need to
succeed in life.
"We know the challenges we
face in Wales, the report provides no surprises in that
regard.
"My overall goal for
education in Wales is simple. I want to make sure that every child and young
person has a world class education and can then go on and compete within the
global market. Anything less than this is simply
unacceptable.“
OECD’s Beatriz Pont, Sr
Policy Analyst leading the OECD-Wales Review commented:
"Wales should keep its
focus on a long-term and sustained school improvement strategy: investing in
the teaching and school leadership profession and ensuring that schools and
their staff can respond to the learning needs of all their students,
underpinned by a coherent evaluation and assessment
framework."
The Minister will attend the
OECD’s Education Policy Committee Meeting in Paris to discuss the
report’s findings at the end of the week.
Websites
OECD
Report