BTEC decision will have “serious repercussions” for thousands of Welsh students warns Sian Gwenllian MS

‘Once again students following vocational courses being made to feel like Cinderellas of Welsh education system’ 

Responding to the news that the exam board Pearson was not going to be releasing its BTEC results as a result of their decision to regrade, Plaid Cymru Shadow Education Minister Sian Gwenllian MS said,  

“Once again students following vocational courses are being made to feel like the Cinderellas of the Welsh education system. 

“The news that the exam board Pearson was not going to be releasing its BTec results as a result of their decision to regrade will have serious repercussions for thousands of students across Wales, with many still not knowing what the future holds for them. Young people are being let down again and this is simply not good enough.   

 “Thousands of BTec students will have already received their grades last week, with the rest due this morning. Now there is more waiting, more uncertainty and once again students following BTec courses are being treated as second class citizens.   

“Pearson needs to announce WHEN the grades will be available.  Some Level-3 BTec students may now be able to access university courses after all but will miss out because places are already being given to A-level students who already know they have improved grades and are in a much better position to move forward. 

“Questions need to be asked about why it took so long for Pearson to realise the implications of A-level and GCSE grade changes for its BTec qualifications and what conversations if any were happening between Welsh Government, Qualifications Wales and Pearson over the last few days.