SIR,

Many parents, like myself, may feel concerned at the continuing poor performance of our schools in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests. I share their disappointment and frustration.

The quality of a country's education system is only as good as the quality of its teachers, support staff and leadership. For this reason, Plaid Cymru would prioritise teacher training and continual professional development and we aim to form the next Welsh government so we can start to improve on 16 years of poorly performing Labour Ministers.

Our aim in government would be to close the poverty gap in educational attainment as the Scottish government has achieved with the same toolkit of devolved responsibilities.

In the meantime, we ensured in our budget deal with the Welsh Government a doubling of the money that is available for poorest pupils through the Pupil Deprivation Grant and I promise to continue to hold this government to account on its failure to meet its own targets.

Simon Thomas

(Mid and West AM, Shadow Education Minister for Plaid Cymru)