EDUCATION in Wales “may as well be on life support” as teachers and pupils continue to be “short changed,” the  NASUWT has warned.

Welsh delegates have told the union’s annual conference in Birmingham of their concerns at growing pressures in classroom amid budget cuts, and recruitment and retention challenges exacerbated by a staggering 20 per cent real terms cut in pay since 2010.

General Secretary Matt Wrack said: “Teachers and pupils in Wales are being short changed.

“Last year, Westminster allocated £399 million to Wales to fund public services, but only £39m — that’s 10 per cent — actually made its way to into schools’ core budgets.

“Education in Wales may as well be on life support.”

Issuing a challenge ahead of May’s Senedd elections, national official for Wales, Neil Butler added: “NASUWT Cymru calls on all parties to set out their vision for a world-class education system.

“This is about long term investment and true ambition for Wales.

“We want to know how education will be funded, how it will be resourced, and how – and when – improvement will be delivered.

“Teachers and learners deserve nothing less.”