Jobs and funding at risk at Cwmcarn asbestos school - Gwent AM (From Campaign Series)
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Jobs and funding at risk at Cwmcarn asbestos school - Gwent AM
1:13pm Friday 22nd February 2013 in News
JOBS AT RISK: Mohammad Asghar, AM for South East Wales
AN AM accused the Welsh Government of passing the buck over Cwmcarn High, saying its poor attitude is now putting the jobs of staff at risk.
Member for South Wales East Mohammad Asghar blasted the Government and Caerphilly council.
Mr Asghar submitted written questions to education minister Leighton Andrews after being contacted by parents and governors, concerned about future funding and job losses because many parents are now planning to send their children elsewhere.
Cwmcarn’s future has been unclear after asbestos was found there and the school’s 900 pupils were temporarily moved to a site in Ebbw Vale last October. Bussing them the 22 miles there and back will cost around £1.4 million for the rest of the school year.
Two reports gave different interpretations of the scale of the problem, while a third this week recommended reopening part of the building to pupils.
Mr Asghar asked Mr Andrews, to explain what assistance was given to Caerphilly council by the Welsh Government and what assurances could he give there will be no cut in funding if pupilsmove and no job losses.
He also asked what lessons have been learnt from the Cwmcarn saga.
Mr Andrews replied that responsibility lies with the council. He said: “It is not appropriate for me as minister for education and skills to intervene in any local decision-making process.”
Mr Asghar added: “This situation has not only been disruptive to the staff and pupils of Cwmcarn High School but has also been of considerable cost to the taxpayer and therefore it has everything to do with the education minister and the Welsh Government.”
Caerphilly Council did not comment on Mr Asghar’s statement.
COMMENT: Questions to answer
THE WAR of words and discontent swirling around Cwmcarn High School in the wake of the asbestos discovery at the site, seems to be escalating by the day.
Firstly, there was the very real health concern caused by the discovery of potentially dangerous asbestos.
Then there was the uncertainty about the school’s immediate future, when Cwmcarn High was closed and pupils sent home to await further instruction.
Since then the row has shifted in the wake of mixed messages about the levels of asbestos within the school and the risk they posed.
And now there is an understandable fear among parents, that what we are witnessing is the beginning of the end of Cwmcarn High, which they will fight tooth and nail.
But with some people now saying they will not send their children to Cwmcarn High in the future and with concerns about the cost of transporting pupils to and from EbbwVale every day, it is easy to see why parents and staff are getting worried.
The lack of information forthcoming from the council and the Assembly is exacerbating the situation.
And we can fully understand why Assembly Member Mohammed Asghar sent a series of questions to education minister Leighton Andrews about the situation.
What we cannot understand is why the questions were not answered.
Comments(5)
Laurajay
says...
4:04pm Fri 22 Feb 13
This site is not available to us from september as there is work scheduled to be carried out there.
This is where the need for straight answers arises because we all want our school back but we need to know where our children will be next academic year.
This is particularly true of the children with special educational needs.
These straight answers, unfortunately, are just not being provided. Instead we are either being stone walled or referred to vague statements.
Cwmderi
says...
5:56pm Fri 22 Feb 13
How strange this statement when we read today that he is intervening directly and proposes to close a Cardiff school because in his view it is failing.
If he can intervene in one council area he can do it in another.
Me thinks this is double standards Mr Andrews and you are simply ducking the issues that Cwmcarn faces in the same way as Caerphilly Cabinet Member for Education is. Strange that we have not heard a word from this Cabinet Member who represents a ward where many Cwmcarn pupils come from. Where has Councillor Rhiannon Passmore been all these months? Her silence has been deafening.
DG1959
says...
6:05pm Fri 22 Feb 13
Afterall, Mr. Andrew's hostility towards foundation schools is a matter of public record. He would be more than happy to see the end of CHS.
JWG1967
says...
9:29pm Fri 22 Feb 13
Are the politicians so blinded by past history and dogma that they are prepared to sacrifice this school on the altar of Socialism.
Are they prepared to dismantle an excellent team of staff and the whole school community to meet their desire to close this school.
Come on, if they had any real desire to improve education in Caerphilly they should be supporting parents in their desire to keep the school together.
Parents students staff you all know where to put that cross the next time they come knocking for your vote.
DG1959 says...
1:48pm Fri 22 Feb 13
Understandably this undermines the confidence of parents and pupils, and the continuing uncertainty dissuades PROSPECTIVE pupils from applying to CHS for next year. It is a very effective strategy to adopt if you want to destroy a school, but not if, as CCBC has as a priority the well-being and education of the pupils of CHS. Parents of existing and prospective pupils need far greater transparency than CCBC is providing.