Plaid plans to scrap school tests

Plaid would act on education immediately, said Mr Jones

Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones has pledged his party will scrap much of the testing of schoolchildren if it gains power in the Welsh Assembly elections.

In a speech on education delivered at Trinity College in Carmarthen, he said a Plaid-led Assembly Government would scrap Key Stages two and three as soon as it took office.

They do nothing to tell us how are children are progressing or what the needs of our schools and teachers are

Ieuan Wyn Jones

Key Stage two is used to assess the performance of pupils as they leave primary school, while Key Stage three examines the learning of pupils at 14.

The Labour-Liberal Democrat Welsh Assembly Government has already abolished Key Stage one, for the youngest pupils at junior school, but Plaid will go further, said Mr Jones.

He said: "On the second of May, a Plaid Cymru Government will abolish tests at Key Stages two and three.

"These tests are one of the greatest burdens on teachers, inherited from Tory governments obsessed with quantity rather than quality.

"The amount of time and effort wasted by teachers and pupils alike on preparing, sitting and marking tests is immense.

Education would be a Plaid assembly government priority

"These tests are an integral part of the ridiculous market system set up by right-wing Tory governments.

"They do nothing to tell us how are children are progressing or what the needs of our schools and teachers are.

"By abolishing them we are signalling that our children should be respected not stigmatised, and by lifting this bureaucratic burden setting our teachers free to teach."

In his speech, Mr Jones also pledged to push for the funding of universities if powers over student finance is transferred to the assembly.

And he said a Plaid Assembly Government would give greater priority to early years provision as a key element of education.

Ieuan Wyn Jones: Concerns over Elwa

He said: "We cannot overestimate the importance of early y7ears provision.

"The first few years of a child's life lay down the way in which so much of her or his future develops.

"A Plaid Cymru Government will concentrate investment and resources on ensuring the best possible start for every child in Wales."

Mr Jones also expressed his concern about revelations over the financial situation of the body, Education and Learning Wales (Elwa).

He said: "I cannot ignore the recent revelations about Elwa.

'Results'

"There was supposed to be a year long period to allow Elwa to shadow the bodies it was succeeding.

"That was the recommendation of ETAG and the assembly's education committee. It was ignored, and the results are becoming clear to see.

"We need to establish who allowed Elwa to run before it could walk."