RCT and Education. Best kept separated.

The issue of education and RCT is beginning to be a bit repetitive now. Having blogged about the farce Labour led RCT Council made over the restructuring of post-16 education in the county borough not so long ago, the Government’s new ‘banding system’ only highlights the failings of RCT on education.

Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC doesn’t seem to do all too well when it comes to education. It seems now, however, that we aren’t alone! Unfortunately.

The Welsh Government have now placed all secondary schools in Wales in a banding system of 1 to 5. The banding takes into account the assessment of the schools for the 2010-2011 academic year. All assessments followed the same criteria which was based on four broad categories;

• The percentage of pupils achieving five A* to Cs at GCSE including English or Welsh and mathematics

• The best eight GCSEs of pupils

• The performance of pupils at GCSE in English or Welsh and mathematics

• Attendance

The issue that has arisen from this ‘exercise’ has shown that less than a quarter of Welsh Secondary Schools have no schools in the top band of a system which is designed to identify the best and worst schools.  The Government and Education Minister, Leighton Andrews, deny that the banding system “names and shames schools” – but that is exactly what it is. Unless there is sufficient support for those schools at the bottom of the banding system, it serves little or no purpose.

A little closer to home, Rhondda Cynon Taf’s branding is nothing short of appalling. Only 2 RCT schools was placed in Band 1, whilst 3 schools were placed in  Band 2; 2 schools in Band 3; 9 in Band 4; 3 at Band 5. Of the three schools which only achieved lowest band, RCT’s centre for life-long learning, Ysgol Gyfun Garth Olwg – a topic which causes must discomfort for RCT Council – achieved a mere Band 5, with only 57% of children achieving 5 A* – C GCSEs.

What’s more worrying, however, is the fact that only 5 schools out of a total of 24 secondary schools, achieved the top bands. Even Aberdare Girls’ School, one of the two schools to achieve a Band 1, the number of children receiving 5 A* – C GCSEs was a mere 38%.

Whilst the Welsh Government’s Education Minister targets Welsh Universities and sends Education bodies post-card tuition fee policies, and attacks Wales’ examination body, Wales’ education attainment suffers. Leighton Andrews needs to stop pretending that everything is fine on the education front, and address the issues at the heart of the education system, which this banding system unfortunately will not do.

Why RCT constituents shouldn’t vote Labour next May.

One reason. Just the one.

An article posted on Wales Online outlines the increase Leader of RCT Council saw in his salary as Council leader (not including the other two salaries he receives) whilst other council members saw a cut of 40% in their terms and conditions to “protect front line services”. It seems that even those who work for or on the Council are taken for granted, just like the constituents who keep them in power.

It seems that RCT Labour not only take their constituents for granted, but also the staff that constitute the second largest Local Authority in Wales.

It’s apparent that Leader of RCT Council was being paid £1,800 from public money including £58,962 as council leader, including £1,177 in travel, £23,544 as chairman of South Wales Police Authority and £13,344 from Cwm Taf Health Authority. This included a rise from £57,221 a year in 2009-10 to £58,962 in 2010-11 for being council leader.

Anthony Christopher’s response to Coun Pauline Jarman’s (Plaid Cymru opposition leader on RCT council) comments regarding Rusell Roberts’ pay show how RCT Labour’s moral authority is broken and in ruins. Whilst I, to some extent, agree that having one individual representing different positions, allowing needs and requirements to be properly represented, receiving a pay increase whilst preaching the “protecting front line services” rhetoric questions the Council and Council Leader’s integrity.

It’s time RCT Labour realised that they can no longer take people for granted, and if RCT don’t take the opportunity to elect an honest and united Council next May, it will be a wasted opportunity.

We live in hope.