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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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Devolved pay for teachers a mistake says Assembly Member
December 8, 2006 10:17 AM
Proposals to set up separate terms and conditions for Welsh teachers would be a mistake, the Welsh Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson for Education Peter Black, has said.
Mr Black was responding to a recent suggestion by the Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA) that pay and conditions for Welsh teachers should be devolved to the Assembly rather than keeping things as they are, with a single structure for both Wales and England. The suggestion, from a panel of experts commissioned by the IWA, was designed to deal with the problem of small primary schools in Wales by paying head teachers more money but according to Mr. Black, it would have wider repercussions.
"It seems to me that we gain rather than lose from the present structure," said Mr. Black. "Having unified pay and conditions for teachers across England and Wales promotes free movement of labour, with teachers in Wales able to take jobs in England and vice versa, with all that means for professional development, continuous improvement and innovation within schools."
"There is also the danger that such a change would mean lower wage levels in Wales given the tendency for wages to level out to the average wage in an area. As the average wage in Wales is lower than in England - in Objective One areas as much as 25% lower - this would be a backward step and could lead to a 'brain drain' to England. We could end up with an introspective and demotivated profession at a time when the importance of competing in Europe on the basis of our skills and knowledge has never been more vital."
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