Plaid Cymru pledge to scrap GCSEs if it wins power at Senedd election

Sian Gwenllian: "The pandemic has shown us that a grading system based on teacher assessments is possible"

Plaid Cymru has said it would scrap GCSE exams in Wales permanently if it wins power at next year's Senedd poll.

The party's Sian Gwenllian is proposing a "grading system that places greater emphasis on teacher assessments".

Wales' exams watchdog is reviewing the qualifications system ahead of the start of the new curriculum from 2022.

Education minister Kirsty Williams said the Welsh Government was "already engaged" in the debate" over the future of GCSEs.

The new curriculum, a complete overhaul of how children are taught in Wales, was published in January.

The changes are due to be introduced in 2022 for all children currently in year four or below.

In August, A-level and GCSE students were awarded the grades estimated for them by their teachers.

The decision was taken after after 42% of A-level grades were initially lower than teacher assessments based on being processed by an algorithm, after examinations were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

GCSEs were first introduced in the late 1980s

Speaking ahead of Plaid Cymru's digital conference this week, Ms Gwenllian, the opposition party's education spokesperson, said that introducing a new curriculum with a new focus on learning while retaining GCSE exams would lead to a "mismatched learning experience" in Wales.

"If properly grounded, the new curriculum has huge potential, but must be aligned with a fit-for-purpose qualification system," she said,

"The pandemic has shown us that a grading system based on teacher assessments is possible.

"With the exam fiasco of the summer still ringing in our ears, now is the time to review the work currently being undertaken by Qualifications Wales and be braver with where this takes us - even if this means scrapping the inflexible GCSE system."

What does the Welsh Government say?

Responding, during a Welsh Government press conference, Education Minister Kirsty Williams said the opposition party was "slightly behind the curve".

"Qualifications Wales are already carrying out a consultation on the future of qualifications at 16 as a direct result of curriculum reform," she said.

Ms Williams said it was important to not "let assessment dictate the nature of learning".

"What we're doing is ensuring that our curriculum reforms drive reform to the assessment measures.

"Qualifications Wales have already completed their first part of their consultation on the future of qualifications in Wales. A second stage of that consultation is planned, so we're already engaged in that debate".

Earlier, a Welsh Government spokesperson said Ms Williams "has been clear she believes it is in the best interests of all learners to sit exams".

"However given the current public health situation, we have to act responsibly and consider contingency arrangements."