Jane Hutt: Whatever she touches in government seems to turn to SH*T

FRESH concerns about funding for the Welsh Assembly Government’s flagship foundation phase education scheme were raised today.

A report by the National Assembly’s finance committee said there had been a “systemic failure” in the transfer of relevant funding information between councils and the Assembly Government.
The pioneering foundation phase scheme, which starts in September, aims to encourage three to seven-year-olds to learn through play.

The report, published today, also highlights concerns about staffing costs and recruitment and the effective allocation of funds.

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Iwan Guy, acting director of the National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) in Wales, who gave evidence to the National Assembly’s finance committee last month, said:

There’s a lesson here for all future initiatives. They must be pre-costed before they are published or broadcast.

Kirsty Williams, the Welsh Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman, said:

This report confirms what I have consistently argued, along with unions, local authorities and professionals. I have for months bemoaned the lack of planning and funding for the scheme. It is the Assembly Government’s failure to admit that problems have been brewing for some time that has led to the current situation. Unfortunately, it is young children and teachers on the front line who will pay the price for this stubborn incompetence.

Shadow Education Minister Andrew Davies AM added:

It should serve as a wake-up call to the Education Minister that she cannot afford to play politics with children’s futures.

An Assembly Government spokesman said:

It is vital that the Assembly Government, local authorities, schools, teaching unions and all key stakeholders work together in partnership because we all want all young people in Wales to reap the benefits of the foundation phase.

It was to ensure that everyone could work together on this that the minister set up the foundation phase implementation task and finish group which will be having its third meeting next week. Great progress has been made since the finance committee took evidence and next week’s discussion at the group will focus on what has to be done to ensure the further implementation of foundation phase over the next four years is successful.