RCT Labour and education. Best kept separated.

Several months ago, RCT Labour unveiled plans to overhaul secondary education in RCT, resulting in the closure of secondary schools and all sixth forms, each moving to a single site – the tertiary college system Merthyr Council decided to go ahead with.

RCT are now proposing the closure of three secondary schools in the Cynon Valley (Aberdare Girls, Aberdare High and Blaengwawr Comprehensive), which would move to a ‘state-of-the-art’ school in Ynys, for 1,600 pupils which would open in 2014. If we look back to the last time RCT granted a ‘state-of-the-art’, purpose built secondary school (Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen’s replacement building – course, we all know how that one went), it wasn’t the practical, purpose built school everyone had been hoping for – that includes the replacement building for Garth Olwg Primary School.

£23m has already announced for new primary schools across RCT; Cwmbach (£6.7m); Ynysboeth (£5m); and Abercynon (£11.4m). Our Labour-controlled council estimates it will be spending £74m in the Cynon Valley – money of which is hopes to be given back by the Welsh Government, which, as Labour Council should know and like to highlight, is facing cuts. Blaengwawr governors chairman Brian Fitzgerald said: “I don’t know how voters will feel about borrowing £50m in the hope that the Welsh Government will pay some of it back – by then the bill will be £70m.”

The article mentions something about ‘Prudential Borrowing’ and surplus spaces to pay off the ‘mortgage’, and personally, it just screams ‘playing games with education’ as they did with Rhydfelen. Things never change, particularly when people vote for the same thing.