Smaller class sizes not a “silver bullet” to solving Wales’ education crisis

Smaller class sizes not a “silver bullet” to solving Wales’ education crisis

The Welsh Education Secretary Kirsty Williams AM will today launch a £36M fund to “reduce infant class sizes” and “raise standards” – a policy which Welsh Conservatives’ Shadow Education Secretary says will not be a “silver bullet” to solving the educational crisis facing Welsh schools.

Questioning how the policy can feasibly be implemented in the face of Wales’ teacher recruitment crisis, Darren Millar AM said:

“The scant evidence base for this policy is well documented with a Welsh Government adviser having publicly spoken out against the idea of its implementation back in June.

“Conversely, there is growing evidence of Wales’ worsening teacher recruitment crisis, and so it remains unclear how this policy can be made to work; smaller class sizes mean more classrooms, which in turn demands more teachers – of which our country is in woefully short supply.

“Today’s announcement is little more than a multimillion pound sop to the remaining Welsh Liberal Democrat and will not be the silver bullet to solving the education crisis facing Welsh schools.”