Part of 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education – in the Senedd at 2:13 pm on 13 December 2017.
Well, Andrew, I think this gives me a fantastic opportunity to thank those who take on the role of being governors of schools across Wales. There are approximately 22,000 governors, which constitutes the largest body of volunteers that we have in the country. I've yet to come across a great school that has poor governance. Often, when things go wrong in a school, it is as a result of a failure of the governance of that organisation. So, you're absolutely right: there is a crucial role to play.
I'm not just leaving it to local authorities, because I'm very keen to have a broader section of people who take up governorship roles. That's why, earlier on this year, I met with the Confederation of British Industry and the Federation of Small Businesses to see what more we could do to encourage their members and people from the business community to take an active interest in education in their area. The FSB are going to use their monthly magazine and their comms to encourage their members to think about opportunities offered to them in school governance and the CBI are discussing with their members' organisations' human resources departments as a way in which they can develop leadership skills within their own workforce, as well as contribute to the national mission of raising standards and closing the attainment gap. So, we're not just sitting back and leaving it to local authorities; we're investigating a number of ways in which we can increase the interest and get people to recognise the significant benefits there are to participating in school governance.