Education minister Leighton Andrews has announced that there will be a review of the money spent on education in Wales. The minister says he wants to ensure that the funding reaches the education front line. More detail on:
http://new.wales.gov.uk/news/topic/education/2010/3722539/?lang=en and
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8464331.stm
The review will cover all levels of education from primary to higher education and look into how savings can be made and how resources would most benefit pupils and teachers.
This follows the news that in Wales, teaching assistants regularly teach students. A survey by the BBC showed that weekly timetables in more than a quarter of 172 schools who responded include lessons which are taught or supervised by teaching assistants. This is despite the fact that the assembly government said that support staff and teachers were not interchangeable. Full
story on: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8463088.stm
There has been considerable concern over the funding gaps that exist for education per student between Wales and England. A recent figure indicated that the difference was as much as £496 per student.
This review will be done in two stages by specialist external consultants and will begin in February with a look at administration costs and then recommendations will be made for making savings. This stage is to be completed by the end of March, and then a wider review will follow.
Both the teaching and head teachers unions have welcomed the review. A review on the BBC website for education in Wales in 2009 indicated that money was the big issue for schools and universities in 2009 - where it comes from, where it's going, and how long it's going to keep flowing into education coffers. The review announced by WAG this week will address many of
the issues raised see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8409652.stm