Thank you for writing to me about the ‘Teach for the Future’ campaign, and the need to improve training for education staff in the teaching and learning of climate change.
Climate change is, of course, one of the biggest issues facing us. Therefore, I agree that children should receive appropriate education about the science of climate change, and its effects on our planet.
Education in Wales is devolved to the Welsh Labour-led Government, who are currently in the process of designing and implementing the new Welsh curriculum. The purpose of this new curriculum is to help children be curious, and to give them the tools that they need to explore issues further. The opportunities within the new curriculum will allow for subjects such as climate change to be taught in a more creative way.
My colleague Suzy Davies MS, the Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Education and Skills, is currently closely scrutinising the new curriculum through the Welsh Government’s Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill to ensure that it achieves its aims. Suzy will of course be taking a close look at the guidance that will support the Areas of Learning and Experience within the curriculum to ensure that important issues are included in an appropriate way.
As a result of the new curriculum, teachers will have to get to grips with a lot of new things. This has meant that there has been a substantial increase in the number of applications for continuous professional development. However I believe that teachers should be provided with more training on how to teach the new curriculum on all subjects and areas on a rolling basis. Suzy has also called for some schools to be given more time to prepare for the curriculum if their preparations have been significantly disrupted due to the impact of COVID-19.
Finally, the Welsh Conservatives believe that the climate emergency declaration is not enough, and must be met with real action if we are to tackle climate change. This is why we are taking a broader approach to the environmental issues facing Wales, including calling for a Clean Air Act for Wales in order to tackle the public health crisis caused by air pollution whilst reducing emissions across the whole of Wales. We also want to ensure that people across Wales are equipped with skills needed to help create a greener and more prosperous economy.
Thank you once again for writing to me.
