The Learning Environment in Schools

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:13 pm on 5 October 2021.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Laura Anne Jones Laura Anne Jones Conservative 2:13, 5 October 2021

First Minister, for me a learning environment in school extends itself to the quality of the facilities in place, and the twenty-first century schools programme, as you've said, is outstanding. It's fabulous. I've visited many schools myself. My son attends one. They're very, very good. But when I was driving back down from the Conservative Party conference in Manchester yesterday, it became glaringly apparent that the sporting facilities that schools have, whether it be in a deprived area or an area that was better off, were far better than what we have in Wales and what I'm seeing in my region and across Wales as I'm visiting schools.

Personally, I think if the Government are serious about children's health, children's obesity and equality of opportunity right across the board, right across the UK, then we need to have massive investment in the sporting facilities across all schools, not just the new ones that are being built. The sheer scale of updating that is needed, in my opinion, is so big that we can't rely just on the funding from the local authorities; it has to come from this Welsh Government. This drastic and much needed change needs to happen now if we are serious about investing in our children and the future of our country, to ensure that our children have the facilities that they need and deserve. Do you agree with me that this Government needs to invest in our children now?