Ensuring that all young people are supported to learn and leave school with the highest possible levels of literacy and numeracy is fundamental to providing them with the best foundation for their futures.
But our education system is currently failing to deliver for too many of our pupils when it comes to supporting their learning, promoting their well-being, and developing critical skills and knowledge in reading, mathematics and science. In 2022, Wales recorded its lowest ever scores in the international PISA assessments.
Plaid Cymru will deliver a bold, practical, and inclusive strategy to raise the bar on core educational standards in our schools.
We will implement a new Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Plan to establish national benchmarks, provide targeted support, ensure high-quality and evidence-led teaching, and with transparent progress tracking for every student. And we will ensure that the Curriculum for Wales is effective in delivering real depth of subject-specific knowledge.
By 2030, every primary school in Wales will have a dedicated library space, and reading will be embedded across every subject area – not just Welsh and English.
A Plaid Cymru government will also invest in the future of Welsh education through supporting the recruitment and retention of the best teachers – providing better incentives for trainee teachers, improving working conditions in our schools and ensuring better opportunities for career development for our education workforce.