THE Welsh Assembly Government has been blasted by an AM who claimed it is failing sixth forms and further education colleges.

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood made the criticism during a debate on Transforming Education and Training Providers.

In his speech he quoted several North Wales headteachers and lecturers from Wrexham’s Yale College who have contacted him in recent months with their concerns.

Mr Isherwood said: “One lecturer facing redundancy at Yale College told me it is a travesty for further education, particularly for those colleges that have had severe future breaking constraints imposed on previously promised funding, and exposes communities to the alter ego of unemployed and unoccupied youth.

“Colleges such as Yale are being forced to cut jobs and courses. Unions told me only this weekend that the situation is desperate.”

The number of students in Welsh further education colleges has fallen more than 10% over the last three years.

At the same time, the number of work-based learning programmes inside and outside of further education colleges has decreased.

Mr Isherwood added: “One headteacher told me that post-14 education was a shambles and there was no evidence that collaboration was raising standards, that it was becoming increasingly bureaucratic and that there is significant wastage in funding delegated to 14 to 19 partnerships.”