NUT: Welsh Government Must Release Missing Funding Figures
Wales’ largest teaching union has urged the Welsh Government to ensure that figures for the per pupil funding gap between Wales and England are released as a matter of urgency. The figures were due to be released today. However, without any prior notice, the Welsh Government placed a statement on its website last week to state that this would now not be the case.
NUT Wales Secretary, David Evans, said:
“The Welsh Government was due to announce the figures detailing the per pupil funding gap between England and Wales today. The fact that they have not is an embarrassment that should not be accepted. In their election manifesto, Labour promised that 85% of education funding would reach the front line. In doing so, both the First Minister and the Education Minister pledged to close the spending gap that is increasing at an alarming rate. Unfortunately, we have no real way of assessing if they are delivering on that pledge or not. How can any Government operate without scrutiny?
“We have heard the Minister state that he is examining further ways to ensure the release of these figures. That commitment is welcomed, but it is important that the statement is met with action. To refuse to release crucial figures to parents is unacceptable. This Government cannot simply pick and choose what information it wants to release. The last figures available showed that the gap had risen to £604 a head. Parents across Wales will expect the information on the current situation to be made available to them.”
Contact Owen Hathway, NUT Cymru, Ty Sinnott, 18 Neptune Court, Vanguard Way, Cardiff CF24 5PJ. Tel: 02920 431409. Mob: 07921146442 e-mail: cymru.wales@nut.org.uk
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