A MEMBER OF THE Senedd from Gwent has been appointed to a key role in the new Welsh Government Cabinet. 

Newly-appointed First Minister Vaughan Gething has appointed Torfaen MS Lynne Neagle to the role of education secretary. 

The former deputy minister for mental health and wellbeing replaces Jeremy Miles MS, who has moved to become Cabinet secretary for economy, energy and Welsh language.

Her previous role has been taken on by Newport West MS Jayne Bryant. 

As someone who is  passionate about suicide prevention and children and young people’s mental health, according to her Senedd biography,  Ms Neagle's political interests include health, housing, social services, Europe and the future of the valleys in South Wales. 

Her appointment comes just a few months short of a decade after her husband Huw Lewis, being appointed to the same role. 

Her appointment comes at a crucial time for education in Wales, after a damning report on education in Wales from the Institute of Fiscal Studies, revealed: 

•            The new Curriculum for Wales should place greater emphasis on specific knowledge

•            Reforms to GCSEs should be delayed to give proper time to consider their effects on long-term outcomes, teacher workload and inequalities

•            More data on pupil skill levels and the degree of inequality in attainment are needed and should be published regularly

•            A move towards school report cards, alongside existing school inspections, could be an effective way to provide greater information for parents without any return to league tables.

The Welsh Conservatives have called on the Welsh Government to urgently review education reforms over the school Easter holiday.

Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy, Janet Finch-Saunders said: "Even though an exceptional effort is made by teachers and support staff to provide education for our children and young people, it is the sad case that Wales have the lowest PISA results in the UK, and  poor educational outcomes.

“Teachers are not to blame. School staff are not to blame. The reality is that the education system in Wales would collapse if there wasn’t so much good will shown by educators such as here in Aberconwy.

“We have secondary schools using the new curriculum in years 7 and 8, but the pupils will still be facing traditional GCSE, subject based exams. If that is how they are going to be assessed, urgent attention is needed to ensure that the curriculum, as the IFS has recommended, places greater emphasis on specific knowledge.

“I will not stand by whilst schools in Aberconwy and their pupils are being undermined by an ineffective education policy.  Ultimately, it could have a negative impact on the whole lives of our youngest generation.  The Easter holiday is a perfect time for a review."

Ms Neagle was born in Merthyr Tydfil in 1968, and was elected to the then National Assembly in 1999, before becoming Chair of the Senedd’s Children, Young People and Education Committee in the Fifth Senedd.