Too much emphasis on external assessments ‘unfair’ says Plaid Cymru

RESPONDING to the news that Welsh Government has decided to introduce national external assessments, Shadow Minister for Education, Siân Gwenllian MS said,

“Putting too much emphasis on external assessments is unfair and will cause further inequalities to pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“The Louise Casella Independent Review Panel has pointed to the need for putting the pupil at the heart of the education system but using external assessments as a large part of the award arrangements for 2021 flies in the face of that advice.

“Plaid Cymru has repeatedly made the case to replace 2021 arrangements with centre assessment grades. So many learners have faced prolonged absences from school due to self-isolation, nervousness in attending school in areas of high prevalence, or being ill themselves.

“External assessments are exams in all but name. It’s not at all clear how this will work in practical terms and I worry that once again too much emphasis is being placed on the qualification at the expense of fairness to the pupils in these extremely difficult times.”