Commenting as Welsh Government announce funding to make school buildings more energy efficient, Laura Doel, director of school leaders' union NAHT Cymru, said:
“We welcome the allocation of money for sustainable schools as it is important that we all work together to support the decarbonisation agenda.
“Better still is the news that this money appears to be ringfenced for this purpose, as we have long-standing concerns about the flow of funding from the Welsh Government to schools via Local Authorities.
“However, we are left wondering, if money can be directed for this purpose, why the same cannot be said for funding for teachers’ and leaders’ pay. While the government may indicate additional money directed to Local Authorities should cover teachers and leaders pay, some LAs choose not to spend it for that purpose.
“At a time when we are taking industrial action over pay and funding, it is slightly galling that double the amount of money that has been made available to bring our dispute to an end can be directed in certain circumstances.
“Our schools will surely only be sustainable when we have the leaders and teachers we need to run them.”
First published 10 March 2023